I AM incensed that the spokeperson for West Dorset District Council has reserved two of the best sited and well used car parks for retail development.

I attended some of the ‘consultation’ meetings and expressed the view most strongly that our need was for car parks.

WDDC do not own them, we the taxpayers do.

WDDC has already wrecked the parking in Dorchester and the same could happen in Bridport.

Any future need for retail, should be accommodated within St Michael’s Trading Estate, which already has a substantial retail section and is linked with the town.

A supermarket cannot function without a car park and the bus station is the only area where large camper vans and caravans can park.

We did a traffic survey in 2006-7 and have continued to monitor coaches and large vehicles.

There are now more than 260 coach companies using this car park and last time coach drivers said that if they could not park there they would leave the town.

Numbers of vehicles have increased substantially since our survey due to ‘staycations’ and the ‘Broadchurch effect’.

Neither were we consulted on Vearse Farm, but rather presented with a ‘fait accompli’.

I have just read some of the comments to be presented to the inspector.

It seems that the only reason for moving the school is so that newcomers do not have to walk more than a kilometre either to Symondsbury or St Marys.

Personally, I can’t see them walking anyway but it has already resulted in St Mary’s being refused solar power and will severely disadvantage children who at present attend these school.

EILEEN HARDING
Lake Lane
Bridport