Royal Mail fights order to sell its Wickford sorting office (From Echo)
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Royal Mail fights order to sell its Wickford sorting office
4:40pm Thursday 15th January 2009 in
ROYAL Mail has joined the chorus of protests against plans to build 173 luxury flats on the site of a postal sorting office.
Basildon Council has imposed a compulsory purchase order on the Royal Mail sorting office, in Lower Southend Road, Wickford, for the new homes.
Now the Royal Mail has announced it is formally objecting to the proposals.
Spokesmen James Taylor said this was because the council had not identified a suitable alternative location for the sorting office.
The Government has announced a public inquiry is being called into the proposals, after the Wickford Action Group raised concerns 173 flats would be an overdevelopment of the site.
Mr Taylor said: “Royal Mail is formally objecting to the placing of a compulsory order on its Wickford delivery office site.
“As we have maintained, we are not unwilling to move, but the council has not put forward any suitable alternative premises.
“We are talking to the council with a view to resolving this, but our priority must be to maintain service for customers locally.
“We have to ensure there is no break in service should we be asked to relocate.”
Steven Horgan, Basildon councillor responsible for regeneration, was “disappointed” Royal Mail had opposed the plans. He said: “The sorting office does not need to be in the town centre. This is a prime location for much needed housing.
“I would say it would be better to put it in one of our many industrial estates, which are along the A127, in Basildon, Wickford and Billericay, as there would be less of a problem with traffic. It is not like there is a shortage of commercial space Royal Mail could move into in Basildon.”
Comments(11)
Tazman
says...
5:13pm Thu 15 Jan 09
And as for the location being a prime location for much needed housing. Thats the biggest joke going. Dont he know that we are in a resession and that houses are not selling. most of the developemtn in WIckfird have been put on hold or stopped altogether due to the down turn.
Also. how are the non drivers ment to get to an out of town sorting office. I can just see it now a whole host of OAP's walking up the wickford by-pass on the grass verge trying to get to basildon.
KEEP THE SORTING OFFICE IN WICKFORD
Tazman
says...
5:13pm Thu 15 Jan 09
And as for the location being a prime location for much needed housing. Thats the biggest joke going. Dont he know that we are in a resession and that houses are not selling. most of the developemtn in WIckfird have been put on hold or stopped altogether due to the down turn.
Also. how are the non drivers ment to get to an out of town sorting office. I can just see it now a whole host of OAP's walking up the wickford by-pass on the grass verge trying to get to basildon.
KEEP THE SORTING OFFICE IN WICKFORD
Ivanna Goodhump
says...
5:16pm Thu 15 Jan 09
Tazman
says...
5:31pm Thu 15 Jan 09
springthing
says...
5:41pm Thu 15 Jan 09
Ivanna Goodhump wrote:Its probably better than the dive you live in! you can't even mention where you live, it must be that bad!
Who in their right mind would want to purchase a luxury flat in the centre of Wickford anyway ...
Soozie
says...
6:33pm Thu 15 Jan 09
springthing wrote:springthing, must you be such a weenie-head?
Ivanna Goodhump wrote: Who in their right mind would want to purchase a luxury flat in the centre of Wickford anyway ...Its probably better than the dive you live in! you can't even mention where you live, it must be that bad!
MrsH
says...
6:55pm Thu 15 Jan 09
Hint in the name Mr Horgan, the WICKFORD sorting office needs to stay in WICKFORD. Least the Royal Mail spokesman is thinking of the needs of the Wickford residents even if our councillors are not.
'Much needed housing' - I thought we were getting nothing but flats.
springthing
says...
8:40pm Thu 15 Jan 09
Soozie wrote:Takes one to know one
springthing wrote:springthing, must you be such a weenie-head?Ivanna Goodhump wrote: Who in their right mind would want to purchase a luxury flat in the centre of Wickford anyway ...Its probably better than the dive you live in! you can't even mention where you live, it must be that bad!
TheWizzard
says...
6:25pm Fri 16 Jan 09
Soozie
says...
7:25pm Fri 16 Jan 09
wickmanuk
says...
12:59pm Sun 25 Jan 09
I am sure that if a survey were held, >95% of Wickford residents would vote for the sorting office to remain where it is, rather than extending the hideous development of that blot on the landscape being built by Bradgate Properties.
And if we desparately need this 'much needed housing' then why has work stopped on the site of the old Citroen garage on Runwell Road and the the former Audi garage by the roundabout? And why have none of the new houses on Southend Road been sold.
Councillor Hogan should wake up and smell the coffee, we're in the early stages of a full-blown recession which will soon lead us into a depression.
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