9:48am Friday 19th December 2008
SHOPKEEPERS have spoken of their outrage following a council decision to back down over plans to purchase a long derelict shop.
Number 8 Sun Street, Waltham Abbey, has been abandoned for years, and other businesses in the road frequently complain about the bad impression it creates.
Epping Forest District Council formally agreed in July 2006 to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on the property to end the problem, but at Monday’s cabinet meeting decided to give shop owner Stef Di Piazza more time to restore the building.
John Lipsett, owner of Mr John’s the butchers, in Sun Street, said: “It’s ridiculous. They should have made the CPO and stuck by it.
“I can’t believe that they’ve given them more time. Shopkeepers such as myself have spent a fortune making our shops look up to date. It’s not right. It’s an eyesore right in the middle of town, and it’s been like that for years.”
The district council made its decision after Mr Di Piazza succeeded in gaining planning permission in May to enlarge the shop and the two flats above.
The council has said Mr Di Piazza has already initiated preparatory works at the shop and has assured them he is committed to redeveloping the site.
But shopkeepers are concerned that the building will remain derelict for some time yet with the street now looking even worse since the next door NCH charity shop closed two months ago.
Practice manager at Waltham Abbey Opticians, in Sun Street, Shane Brown said: “The guy hasn’t done anything for years so I can’t see why he’d do anything now. It’s one of the first shops you see when you look down Market Square. What kind of impression does that give? It’s pretty poor.”
Mr Di Piazza did not return the Guardian's calls.
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