THE authorities were left in no doubt over the scale of anger at plans that could leave a supermarket giant free to take over a town centre site as scores took to the streets to protest.
The group of more than 100 people gathered last night (April 23) in St John’s Road, Epping, where a seven acre site, mostly owned by Essex County Council, is to be redeveloped, with the options on the table including new shops, flats or leisure facilities.
The placard-bearing protesters marched down the High Street and handed in a petition at the Epping Forest District Council civic offices signed by more than 600 people, objecting to the prospect of the site being swallowed up by a retail giant.
Kim Adams, 57, lives immediately opposite the site of the new development. He said: “We came to live in Epping because it is peaceful and quiet.
“Now we have the prospect of a huge supermarket opening just opposite. “It is just not suited to the area. This is a market town and the effect it would have on the town centre is horrendous.”
Trevor Krueger, 52, runs Little Sew n’ Sews in Epping High Street with his family. He said: ““We have all come here tonight to make sure that they listen to us.
“Epping is a great town but it does not have a community hub. We want a place to take classes and for people to gather, a proper community centre.”
Julie Hayden, 36, who lives in nearby Lindsey Street, agreed.
She said: “What Epping needs are more community and more leisure facilities.”
“We are just worried that they want to make as much money for the site as they can,” added Allan Jones, 77, of St John’s Road.
Epping Forest District Council leader Lesley Wagland said: “Our concern has been to make residents views heard in a way that counts and that is through taking part in the formal consultation process.
“It has been suggested to residents that signing the petition was a good way of expressing their views and are concerned that some may have done this and not responded to the consultation.
“We will take into account the results of the consultation when deciding the preferred option for the site and the petition will be dealt with through the petition rules.”
The public consultation period on the plans, which was extended after the strength of public response, closed yesterday.
Councillors will take the responses into account when deciding on the preferred option for the site, which will be announced later this year.
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