Call to build on ‘deserted’ Berriew Street Car Park

A veteran Welshpool town councillor has called on Powys County Council to use half of Berriew Street Car Park to build a huge new housing estate in the town.

Cllr Phil Pritchard was speaking at this week’s Town Council discussion on the new Land Development Plan (LDP) which is in the final days of consultation.

The plan will dictate where new development can happen over the next 13 years and, this week, we shared the news that huge swathes of land in the area were being earmarked for development.

The large area behind Oldford is one area included in the plan, but Cllr Pritchard wants it to go further.

“On one day this week, at 11am and at 3pm, the top half of the car park at Berriew Street only had three vehicles on there and that’s the same all the time,” said Cllr Pritchard.

“It is not well used. For the whole car park, there are never more than about 30 cars.

“It was intended (in previous LDP) to look at the top half of the car park to be added to that field and I think it should come back in for consideration. There are no other sites in Welshpool.”

The current LDP proposed also includes mass development up Red Bank and another housing estate by the canal past The Flash.

Anyone can have their say on the proposed LDP until October 7, and the Town Council has set up a working group, chaired by Cllr Sally Fitzgerald, to collate and submit the Town Council’s response before the deadline.

PICTURE: Taken at 2pm on Thursday showing just how underused Berriew Street Car Park is.