New Ellesmere housing plans come under fire

A proposal has been submitted to build 10 homes on land off Church Street – close to the town's Mere which attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Residents, who fear building the homes in the area could have a negative impact on the tourist hotspot, previously campaigned against a different scheme to build 22 homes next to the Mere on Swan Hill.

Those plans were thrown out by a planning inspector earlier in the year after a petition of 2,000 names was submitted on behalf of residents.

Greenspace Architects, which is the agent for the new scheme, has argued the Church Street proposal could have a positive impact on the town and promote stronger links between the town and the Mere by opening up a connection and improving the existing footpath.

But resident Rob McBride said: "Once again our Mere is under threat of development encroachment.

"We have had to fight to keep out the previous development plan at the cemetery and we will for this one.

"The development is within 20 to 25 metres of the actual Mere itself and will be totally obtrusive to the many thousands of visitors to our Mere.

"We rely on tourism in Ellesmere an enormous amount. It is a significant part of the town's revenue income and must not be put at risk just for the sake of some unneeded housing plan."

Helena Marron, who lives on Church Street, added: "This is a conservation area and any development must be sympathetic to its surroundings.

"The provision of benches in this area will only make more comfortable the late night drinkers who congregate around here and will also encourage more bottles, cans, crisp packets etc to be thrown into our gardens."

But Lincoln McMullan, chairman of Ellesmere Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: "We need to join the Cremorne Gardens to the town and this is a fantastic opportunity to do that.

"Every week we get thousands of tourists coming to see the Mere and we need these people to come into the town."

Kevin Slack, of Greenspace Architects, said: "We do have a lot of supporters such as the chamber of commerce.

"There are a number of people that go to the Mere but don't visit the town and there are a number of people that go to the town but don't visit the Mere.

"As soon as I was approached my first thought was about creating a link between the two, which was supported by landowners.

"It will create a big pedestrian route from the Mere to the town.

"I am a great believer in Ellesmere, it's where I want to live and work. The last thing we want to do is make ourselves unpopular or ruin a beauty spot."

Ellesmere Town Council is due to discuss the planning application at its next meeting on Monday, which will start at the town hall at 7.20pm.