Cabinet denies existence of ‘CPO blight’

Ceredigion County Council cabinet members were left in no doubt yesterday that public support for the original Aberystwyth Masterplan should not be misconstrued as support for the revised plans announced in February. In his report to the Council*, Allan Lewis, Deputy Chief Executive, said:

“It should be made clear that the support expressed for the original draft Development Brief proposals, centered [sic] on the former Royal Mail site only, should not be taken as support for the current revised and significantly enlarged proposals.”

The report includes comments from several significant stakeholders. Regeneration partnership, Menter, are in favour of what they describe as ‘strategic regeneration’ but warn

“… developers seeking to ride roughshod over local businesses is not the way forward towards engendering a cohesive and welcomed centre of town development.”

Comments from Aberystwyth Town Council reiterated the statement they released earlier this year:

“…We are profoundly unhappy about the latest proposals which entail the demolition of so many small shops and we cannot give our support to such a scheme, no matter what the supposed economic benefits. We believe the economic benefits of maintaining the character of the town are very substantial also. We call upon the County Council to develop a scheme which maintains the majority of these small shops and to abandon preparations for Compulsory Purchase Orders.”

The ongoing ‘blight’ of the threat of compulsory purchase continues to affect homes and businesses in the affected areas of Great Darkgate Street, Chalybeate Street and Queen Street. The empty Woolworths store remains unlet and its owner has allegedly stated that the County Council ‘don’t know what they’re doing.’ Empty business properties are still liable for business rates, so the expenses being incurred by the owners who can not find tenants must surely be substantial – a situation, ironically, that the private developer who owns the Sorting Office site must be contemplating facing too.

At least one family have watched the sale of their property fall through, and are now faced with the real prospect that until the threat is lifted their property will be unsaleable. Properties adjoining and adjacent to the buildings under threat are also seeing their values fall as prospective buyers consider the prospect of living next to a demolition site.

Regeneration and redevelopment has plenty of fans but comments on Facebook groups – both supporting and opposing the revised plans – observe that some shops in the town look shabby and ill-kempt. High street chain stores with absentee landlords are inevitably the biggest culprits but the blight posed by the threat of CPOs is now likely to dissuade local business owners from investing further in the upkeep of their properties. One says, “Why should I spend a couple of thousand pounds painting my property when this time next year it might have been demolished?”

Despite this damning evidence, at yesterday’s meeting, Eurfyl Evans – Cabinet Member for Economic Development, denied the existence of any blight whatsoever. When asked for reassurance that CPOs would not be used, Council leader, Keith Evans, replied, “I can’t give a guarantee that CPOs won’t be used in the future.”

Apparently work on new plans that will take into consideration the concerns raised by stakeholders are well under way and can be anticipated -according to Council Economic Development Officers – in “weeks rather than months.” Hopefully the people of Aberystwyth – especially those currently affected by the threats posed by February’s ‘plans’ – won’t have too long to wait before their questions about the future of the town centre are answered…

* [Available for download here – click ‘Swyddfa Bost/ Post Office’]

Major chains oppose revised development plans

Top high street retailers, Dolland & Aitchison, Clarks and Clinton have all expressed their opposition to the revised and extended development plans.

In the Report of the Assistant Chief Executive on Aberystwyth town centre development opportunity (click on “Swyddfa Bost/ Post Office”), letters from the chain stores’ headquarters have been included in an appendix of correspondence supporting the main report.

Clarks state “Please can you register our opposition to the proposed development. We would not wish our shop to be acquired by Compulsory Purchase in order to facilitate the redevelopment proposal.”

Dolland & Aitchison echoed these concerns, saying, “We object to this proposal on the basis that we are happy with our representation in the town and would not wish to suffer the inevitable inconvenience and disruption that would result from the redevlopment of this area.”

The Clinton Card Group expressed strong opposition:

“The block within which we are a tenant is an integral part of Aberystwyth town centre and provides a significant variety of retailers that is becoming ever more rare in town centres. There is no need to introduce a single department store that will effectively destroy the mix of retailers in the high street and this can only be to the detriment of both the existing traders and shoppers in the town. It is with this in mind that I urge that this decision is reconsidered.”

When the plans were first revealed in The Cambrian News in February, it was suggested that a multi-screen cinema might also form part of the retail development. With three cinemas already existing in the town, it’s understandable that the managers of these local facilities would want to add their own voices to the opposition.

Michael Davies, owner of the Commodore Cinema in Bath Street, has  expressed his surprise and dismay regarding the news, saying he was “astounded that anyone would think that a multi-screen cinema could be viable in a town the size of Aberystwyth.”

Alan Hewson, Director of Aberystwyth Arts Centre, shared these concerns.

“Any plans for a multi-screen cinema […] would have an adverse and dramatic effect on the running of our own cinema as part of the Arts Centre whilst also impacting on our committment to provide specialist programming.”

The report – which also draws councillors’ attention to the 2100 signature-strong petition presented to Eurfyl Evans and mentions the Cadw Calon Aberystwyth Facebook group – will be presented to the Council Cabinet at their monthly meeting on June 2nd at Penmorfa, Aberaeron. Representatives from Cadw Calon Aberystwyth will be attending to discover first-hand how local democracy deals with the development plans and, most crucially, whether the blight of Compulsory Purchase Orders will finally be formally lifted.

Cadw Calon celebrate: CPOs are OFF the agenda!

Members of Cadw Calon Aberystwyth celebrated last night as they heard the excellent news that Compulsory Purchase Orders will not be on the agenda at next week’s County Council meeting on April30th.

Ceredigion County Council, who had been due to receive a report on the development proposal at the meeting, confirmed that both they, and the Welsh Assembly Government had requested that the private sector developer, newly-formed company Cityheart Wales, should reassess all their options and

“bring forward a proposed development scheme that will recognise as much as possible the concerns expressed.”

The document continues:

“… the private sector developer has been invited to undertake public consultation on any proposals before the County Council can consider the value of a development scheme and any actions for Ceredigion to pursue.

The CPO issue is placed aside pending the outcome of considerations by the private developer.”

It seems that the power of grassroots pressure groups like Cadw Calon Aberystwyth should not be under-estimated, and that well-planned campaigning combined with political lobbying are tactics that not only raise public awareness of the machinations of local governemnt but also effect real and tangible change.

Cadw Calon Aberystwyth – who now have full cross-party support – will continue to campaign for sympathetic, sustainable and workable solutions to the question of how Aberystwyth town centre will be developed; as an organisation we continue to support the Aberystwyth Masterplan and believe that regeneration is necessary for the town to flourish and prosper, and will be continuing to lobby for a speedy resolution to the current situation and confirmation from the County Council that the current threat of CPOs will be totally abandoned, freeing property owners and occupiers from the blight that currently lingers, rendering properties (some of them potentially profitable business premises)  in Great Darkgate Street, Chalybeate Street and Queen Street unattractive to potential buyers or tenants.

Denials and misinformation

Anyone who has read this week’s Cambrian News will be aware that Cityheart Wales, the company behind the new extended retail plans are claiming that there was never a plan to acquire and demolish homes and businesses in either Chalybeate Street or Great Darkgate Street. Anyone who has read the Report of the Assistant Chief Executive on Aberystwyth Town Centre Development Opportunity, the document which kick-started the recent controversy will be aware that these claims are blatantly untrue.

The report (which is available for download here – scroll down and click ‘Aberystwyth Town Centre’) makes the developers intentions brutally clear:

[I]t will be necessary for the developer to acquire adjoining properties to assemble a larger site. The larger site is identified within the red line on the attached plan and the properties to be acquired are coloured light brown. (Page 2)

The plan referred to is reproduced here.

Post Office Site Plans (Click for enlargement)

As the report states, the larger site comprises all the buildings shown in brown – a vast amount of property earmarked for acquisition and clearly not just the  ‘one or two properties’ the developer claims might need to be demolished. The developer goes on to state that Ceredigion County Council were never asked to put Compuslory Purchase Orders on ‘all those shops.’ This statement is also at odds with the above report, which concludes:

It is recommended that Cabinet recommends to Council the use of CPO powers to achieve the aforementioned proposals should private treaty negotiations prove unsuccessful.

The developer goes on to say there is ‘no plan’ , when there clearly is a plan, a plan which was presented to the County Council in February, and a plan which was clearly calling upon the County Council to consider the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire the properties shaded light brown in the plan above – namely businesses and homes in Great Darkgate Street, Queen Street and Chalybeate Street.

So the developer has been asked to come up with new plans, and conduct a public consultation exercise. Whether or not they are qualified to do this is another question entirely, and one that continues to be debated. But let’s not forget that  massive public consultation has taken place, namely the consultation that informed the Aberystwyth MasterPlan. The Landscape Institute, which commended the original MasterPlan, described the consultation as follows:

Meetings, workshops and public exhibitions were held to ensure the local community and stakeholders were fully engaged in the process and that proposals reflected their desires and aspirations for the town.

The result of all this intensive – and no doubt costly –  research was the Aberystwyth MasterPlan (not to be confused with the new, revised and unconsulted plans) – a creative, sustainable and highly workable scheme for the long-term regeneration of the town, and one which the local traders potentially affected by the new plans actively support. The MasterPlan advocated the use of the Post Office site as a department store, using the space behind and thus retaining  the existing shops and houses. Fraser Ozment, one of LDA’s award-winning town planners who has been working alongside Cerdedigion County Council since the MasterPlan was in its conceptual stage, this week confirmed that the site could easily accommodate a department store totalling over 35,000 square feet over three or four storeys.

As we can see, viable options exist;  in fact, viable solutions  – in the form of the MasterPlan – to the question of how the town centre is redeveloped have already attracted public support from traders and residents alike. And on a last note, it’s important to remember that the new revised plans and the threat of CPOs are already blighting the lives of not just traders but also town centre residents. As one resident states,

People seem to be forgetting the people that live in the flats and houses on Queen Street that will have to be evicted to make way for new development. I fully support the original plan, but not the new additions. To some people it may be drab and dreary but to me Queen Street is my home.

Market research mysteries…

Shortly after yesterday’s protest – which received lots of publicity – a source close to the county council told me that a prominent senior councillor from the south of the county has recently carried out a little market research of his own into the proposed new development plans. This unnamed councillor apparently spoke to many businesses in Terrace Road, and many members of the public. He claimed that he hadn’t found a single person who had any objections to the new, extended plans at all.

Terrace Road

Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he? Apparently he feels that the only people who object to the plans are those people immediately affected by them. Obviously he wasn’t taking into account the 2100 people who signed the petition that was handed to Eurfyl Evans yesterday or the 1600 members of the Facebook group, not to mention the people who have written to the local press.

Naturally, without knowing the nature of the questions asked of people in this fact-finding exercise it’s difficult to take the results seriously. The prospect of redevelopment is an emotive issue, and posing pertinent questions will  elicit strong responses: asking people if they feel Aberystwyth needs town centre regeneration will inevitably garner support that could be used – much as support for the original Masterplan was used –  to suggest that there is widespread public support for the new plans. Asking people if they feel the use of heavy-handed legal threats is fair or appropriate is never going to achieve the same result.

Anyway, this topic arose a few hours before Ceredigion County Council (CCC) announced that they would be asking the ‘private sector developer’ to not only reassess the devlopment scheme in line with public concern but also for full public consultation to take place – an excellent result from the public briefing. Whether or not the county council had many other options is debatable. With the debacle surrounding the way in which they released the revised plans now being hailed as a ‘public relations disaster’, it’s unlikely.

How the developer chooses to conduct its research and consultation will be interesting. We can only hope they canvass public opinion using better methods than those used by the market research company that surveyed local people in February this year. Questionnaires were left with various town centre businesses and residents with no clear indication given who had commissioned the survey or for what purpose. Bizarrely, amidst questions about parking and local facilities, the question, ‘Would you be prepared to relocate your business?’ had been slipped in.

One of the people surveyed said,

‘There was a form several pages thick. I answered a few before I had to assist a customer.’

He was gone for just a few minutes.

‘When I got back to her […] I noticed she had filled in at least two pages of questions for me without even consulting me or going back to the ones I had missed… I could see she was in a hurry to finish.’

Let’s hope the developers try a little bit harder than either our unnamed councillor or this mystery market researcher when the public consultation finally starts.

Councillors agree to public consultation

Press release from Ceredigion County Council:

ABERYSTWYTH TOWN  CENTRE DEVELOPMENT

This morning, 9 April 2009, the Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Regeneration, Tourism, Training and European Matters, Councillor Eurfyl Evans, welcomed Ceredigion County Councillors representing wards within Aberystwyth and surrounding areas to a briefing session where officers of Ceredigion County Council’s Regeneration Unit were able to brief Councillors of recent consultation meetings held with various interested parties in Aberystwyth in regard to matters involving proposals for redevelopment of the town centre.

Speaking after the  session , Councillor Eurfyl Evans said: “This morning’s briefing session given to fellow County Councillors from north Ceredigion went very well. Being the responsible Cabinet Member, I am now going to ensure that the representations and comments received by Ceredigion County Council are to be placed with the private sector developer and with the relevant officers of the Welsh Assembly Government.

I have asked my officers to invite the private sector developer to reassess all the options and to bring forward a development scheme recognising as much as possible the concerns which have been expressed. I am also going to ask for there to be public consultation on this scheme, to be undertaken by the private sector developer, before Ceredigion County Council can consider the value of any redevelopment scheme.

The Chief Executive’s Department, Ceredigion County Council,
Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron,
Ceredigion, Wales. SA46 0PA

DATBLYGU CANOL TREF ABERYSTWYTH

Fore  heddiw , 9 Ebrill 2009, croesawodd Aelod Cabinet Ceredigion a chanddo gyfrifoldeb dros Adfywio, Twristiaeth, Hyfforddiant a Materion Ewropeaidd, y Cynghorwr Eurfyl Evans, ei gyd-Gynghorwyr Sirol o dref Aberystwyth ac ardaloedd cyfagos yng ngogledd Ceredigion, i sesiwn a gynhaliwyd yn Aberystwyth i’w diweddaru ar ganlyniadau ymgynghori rh w ng y Cyngor Sir a nifer o gyrff perthnasol ynghylch cynnig i ailddatblygu canol tref Aberystwyth.

Yn siarad ar ôl y sesiwn, dywedodd y Cynghorwr Eurfyl Evans: “Aeth y sesiwn ar gyfer fy nghyd-Gynghorwyr o ogledd Ceredigion yn dda iawn y bore ‘ma. Gan mai fi yw’r Aelod Cabinet cyfrifol, ‘rwy nawr wedi penderfynu sicrhau bod fy swyddogion i’n pasio at y datblygwr sector breifat yr ymatebion a sylwadau a dderbyniwyd gan y Cyngor Sir ar y mater hwn gyda chopïau hefyd yn cael eu pasio at y swyddogion priodol ar ran Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru. ‘Rwy wedi gofyn i’m swyddogion i wahodd y datblygwr sector breifat i edrycha eto ar yr holl opsiynau ac i gyflwyno cynllun datblygu fydd yn cymryd i ystyriaeth cymaint ag sy’n bosibl o’r gofidion sydd wedi eu lleisio. ‘Rwy hefyd yn mynd i ofyn bod ymgynghori cyhoeddus gan y datblygwr sector breifat ar y cynllun hwn cyn medrith Cyngor Sir Ceredigion bwyso a mesur gwerth unrhyw gynllun datblygu.”

Adran y Prif Weithredwr, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion,
Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron,
Ceredigion, Cymru. SA46 0PA

County Council ‘unnerved’

At last night’s meeting of Cadw Calon Aberystwyth, it was suggested that members of Ceredigion County Council (CCC) are allegedly ‘unnerved’ by the strong public reaction to the new development plans. Sources close to the Council told campaign members that ‘worried looks’ had been observed in Penmorfa, home to the county council in Aberaeron.

Once again the meeting was well-attended by local business people, campaigners and representatives from supportive local organisations. These included the Federation of Small Businesses – who are planning an impact study on the revised plans – and Caredig i Natur, who support green issues. The new poster campaign was launched (see right) and members took a break from the meeting to pose for press photos.

Lastly, it was agreed that Cadw Calon Aberystwyth would inform CCC that the group intended to legally challenge them over their proposal to use Compulsory Purchase Orders to facilitate the proposed new development plans.

Response from Nerys Evans, AM

This week, Cadw Calon Aberystwyth have recieved a reply from Nerys Evans, National Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your recent letter regarding the unexpected revision of the Aberystwyth Masterplan proposing the probable demolition of a large part of Chalybeate Street, Queen Street and Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth.

These large scale proposals certainly change the current original Masterplan proposal for the Post Office site and further public consultation is paramount.

We in Carmarthen are currently witnessing the development of the old mart site with the arrival of Debenhams as the anchor store. The old mart site was empty and is not at the heart of Carmarthen town. I am not persuaded that the architectural character of Aberystwyth should be sacrificed for the needs of Debenhams. I feel that this would
change the very reasons why Aberystwyth is such an important, iconic town.

I understand from Elin Jones AM that Councillors are suggesting that this project is being led by the Assembly Government and that the Council is almost powerless to resist. I also confirm that this is not the case.

The Assembly Government would not release major funding for projects unless they are advocated by the local county Council. I have witnessed the very same tactic by Councillors in Carmarthenshire recently who openly state that they are powerless to stop the closure of three secondary schools due to National Assembly guidelines.

As your Regional Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, I feel that it would be of greater benefit for you to discuss these matters with your local Assembly Member in Aberystwyth, who would be best placed to take up your concerns with the Local Authority.

I will happily discuss these important issues with Elin Jones if these matters arise at the National Assembly for Wales.”

Town Council give ‘unanimous support’ to campaign!

This evening a group of us from Cadw Calon Aberystwyth attended a full town council meeting down at the County Buildings on the seafront, where we heard representatives from both Ceredigion County Council (CCC) and the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) regarding the new and revised plans.

Allan Lewis, Asst Chief Executive of the county council commenced the presentation, and was obviously somewhat ruffled by public opposition to the new plans as he urged everyone to ‘calm down’ and pledged that the county council is committed to being ‘inclusive and transparent’ with regard to the proposed development. Lewis admitted that there was some ‘difference’ between the retail site plans presented in the Masterplan and the new, extended development, but claimed that the new plans apparently ‘appeal to the Assembly. He also conceded that contrary to popular opinion, no deals have been made with either the developer, retailers or WAG.

Lewis was followed by Jason Jones, Development Manager for CCC who claimed that whilst no deals have been struck as yet, Debenhams had expressed an ‘in principle interest’ in the proposed development. Jones went on to quote from various surveys that have been carried out (the results of which he claimed would be made public in three weeks’ time), using the information gathered to suggest that the vast amount of respondents were in favour of the new development. Martin Morgan, from the Department of Economy & Transport concluded the presentation by briefly stressing that WAG sees Aberystwyth as ‘ a centre of national importance’ and that the town should offer a ‘quality element of retail provision.’

Following inspired and inspiring speeches from various town councillors – including Alun Williams, who pointed out, to great public hilarity, that whereas most towns were trying to preserve their historic buildings, Aberystwyth seemed committed to retaining the ugly ones! – the town council debated and then voted unanimously on the following motion:

Last Night Aberystwyth Town Council received a presentation from County Council and Assembly officials on the new plans. Following the presentation the Town Council debated and then unanimously passed the following motion:

“Aberystwyth Town Council declares its total opposition to any potential development which involves the loss of fundamental parts of our precious streetscape.

Aberystwyth Town Council supports the original Masterplan proposal for the development of the old Royal Mail sorting office site.

However, whilst we understand the need to work with developers, we are profoundly unhappy about the latest proposals which entail the demolition of so many small shops and we cannot give our support to such a scheme, no matter what the supposed economic benefits. We believe the economic benefits of maintaining the character of the town are very substantial also.
We call upon the County Council to develop a scheme which maintains the majority of these small shops and to abandon preparations for Compulsory Purchase Orders.
We also call upon the County Council to conduct a full public consultation, similar to that carried out in November and December, on any new plans before any final decision is taken.

Council resolves to communicate this to:

The Cabinet of Cyngor Sir Ceredigion and all Ceredigion County Councillors

Economic development officials of the National Assembly

Our Assembly Members

The Deputy Assembly Minister for Regeneration

Council also resolves to engage with the Transition Town Group, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion and the wider community to explore alternative approaches to the economic future of the town centre which does not involve a ‘clone town’ economic model.”

Cafodd Cyngor Tref Aberystwyth gyflwyniad gan swyddogion o’r Cyngor Sir a’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ynglŷn â’r cynlluniau newydd. Yn dilyn y cyflwyniad fe drafodwyd y cynnig canlynol ac fe’i derbyniwyd yn unfrydol gan y Cyngor Tref:

“Mae Cyngor Tref Aberystwyth yn datgan ei wrthwynebiad llwyr i unrhyw ddatblygiad a fydd yn golygu colli darnau sylfaenol o’n tirwedd stryd werthfawr.

Mae Cyngor Tref Aberystwyth yn cefnogi cynllun gwreiddiol y Cynllun Mawr ar gyfer datblygu safle hen swyddfa ddosbarthu’r Post Brenhinol.

Ond, er ein bod yn deall yr angen i gydweithio gyda datblygwyr, yr ydym yn anhapus iawn ynglŷn â’r cynlluniau diweddaraf fydd yn golygu dymchwel cynifer o siopau bychain ac felly nid ydym yn medru cefnogi cynllun o’r fath, waeth beth yw’r buddion economaidd tybiedig. Credwn hefyd fod y buddion economaidd o gynnal cymeriad y dref yn rhai sylweddol.

Galwn ar y Cyngor Sir i ddatblygu cynllun sy’n gwarchod y mwyafrif o’r siopau bychain hyn ac i roi’r gorau i baratoi ar gyfer Gorchmynion Pwrcasu Gorfodol.

Galwn hefyd ar y Cyngor Sir i ymgymryd â phroses o ymgynghoriad llawn ar unrhyw gynlluniau newydd, yn debyg i’r hyn a ddigwyddodd fis Tachwedd a Rhagfyr, cyn gwneud unrhyw benderfyniad terfynol.

Mae’r Cyngor yn penderfynu rhoi gwybod i’r canlynol am ei benderfyniad: Cabinet ag holl eilodau Cyngor Sir Ceredigion, swyddogion datblygu economaidd Llywodraeth y Cynulliad, aelodau’r cynulliad yr ardal, a’r dirprwy weinidog dros Adfywio.

Mae’r Cyngor yn penderfynu hefyd i weithio gyda Grŵp Tref Drawsnewid Aberystwyth, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion a’r gymuned yn ehangach i ddod o hyd i ddynesiadau gwahanol tuag at ddyfodol economaidd canol y dref nad yw’n golygu dilyn model economaidd “trefi unffurf”.”

“Chains Welcome if Small Shops Stay Too” – Cambrian News 19/03/09

“ABERYSTWYTH traders would welcome a major national retailer in the town, but not at the expense of local stores, the town’s Chamber of Commerce has warned.Members of the Chamber heard from council officers about the controversial plans for a major new shopping development which could see 15 current shop premises taken over.And chairman Cyril Baker said although the principle of a national retailer coming to town would be welcomed, there are concerns about what it would mean for local businesses who could be forced out of their shops on Great Darkgate Street and Chalybeate Street.

He said: “Following a show of hands at the end of the meeting, it’s fair to say that the business community welcomes a redevelopment of the town centre, including a major quality retail chain opening at Aberystwyth, but it was clear that this should not be at the cost of the individual shops that give the town its character.

The bulk of the people at the meeting were very much in favour of the original proposal. We weren’t against it being expanded as such, but on the principle that it is done with the co-operation of existing businesses.”Mr Baker said traders also supported the idea of development in the centre of town rather than allowing more stores in out-of-town locations.

He said: “if we are left with a choice whether it is out of the town centre or say by the football club, or at the centre of town it would be better to see the development in the town centre rather than on the fringes.“As far as the Chamber goes, as developments come with quality retailers in place that would be acceptable, but not at the expense of knocking everything down.”

Mr Baker said the meeting was vital to let businesspeople in the town give their opinion to the council. He said: “it was important. I think the council attended it as a fact-finding mission. I think they were hoping to get an impression of what businesses think and want.”

Meanwhile, a Facebook group set up to support the local businesses that could be forced out of their premises to make way for a national retailer has attracted over 1,500 members.

Emma Lloyd who started the group, said most people supported retail development, but didn’t want to see the current businesses affected. She said: “I started the Facebook group on a whim having witnessesd many of my friends and acquantances reading about the new, more expansive retail development plans in the Cambrian News a few weeks ago. Within three days we had over 700 members and the total now stands at over 1,500.

“Group membership encompasses a wide demographic, from local businesspeople to tourists and students to pensioners. Most members seem to accept that sensitive and sympathetic development is necessary in Aberystwyth, especially in the currently empty Woolworths and sorting office sites.

“However, there is unanimous distaste regarding the threat of Compulsory Purchase orders to remove existing businesses from their premises, a threat which the majority of members feel is unfair and heavy-handed. However, if the situation did reach that point, the council would be obliged to present a com-pelling case in the public interest before such powers could be exercised.”

Ms Lloyd said members were also surprised that the plans being put forward now were so radically different to the original development proposals that went out to consultation.She said: “Concerns have also been expressed that the Aberystwyth Retail Action Plan is vastly different to the retail development plans depicted in the Masterplan which received public consultation. Questions are being asked about how the county council is acting on this matter and whether or not the democratic process is as transparent as it could be, bearing in mind the lack of consultation sur-rounding the new plans.

“One of the main feelings being expressed is that Aberystwyth is a special and unique town and that unsympathetic, heavy-handed development has the potential to destroy the individuality and character of the town.

“Whilst the original Masterplan acknowledges Aberystwyth’s stunning environment, its history and its rich bilingual heritage, the new retail plans reduce Aberystwyth to nothing more than a shopping centre and its people to nothing but sources of revenue for the corporate retailers.”

Ceredigion Council said that positive feed-back was received at the meeting. The spokesperson said: “The response was positive and virtually unanimous in supporting the development, subject to retaining the buildings and the niche retail shops which want to remain in Chalybeate Street.”