Asda Gets Go Ahead for Langley Mill

Just a little note before we start - this is from my point of view, as I remember it. I wasn't taking the minutes or recording events so half of this post is probably complete hogwash - as I'm now at that stage in my life where I'm getting forgetful [was I even there?] and also, being of peasant stock - I don't always know what I'm talking about ...
We went along to the council planning meeting, I needn’t have worried about losing my ‘Yes to Asda in Langley Mill’ leaflet as plenty more were dished out on the coach.
The public gallery was full of Asda supporters, several people spoke [not me, I may be verbose with the keyboard but I'm very shy, honest] - all in favour of Asda. No-one was against it.

It was passed unanimously. We - from Langley Mill as a community - were even praised for going and saying what we wanted and looking on the positive side and ignoring the negatives - I don't think the councillors realised that we'd go anywhere on a free coach trip as we don't get out much. The atmosphere was great and there was cheering and applause from the public gallery when planning permission for Asda was granted.

The residential development took longer to discuss, it was pointed out that there were already plans in the pipeline for new houses and that the strain on the community shouldn’t be forgotten when looked at as a whole rather than just one application [or words to that effect].
The Primary Care Trust came under fire as they wanted £512.56 for each house built to go towards an extension of The Park Surgery in Heanor which will cost in the region of £350,000. It was made quite clear by one councillor that Langley Mill has enough residents for us to have our own health care without us having to travel to nearby towns. The PCT had denied this by conveniently using a 2001 census which showed that there were only some 4000 odd residents and that there was a doctors surgery on the border of Heanor and Langley Mill.
The upshot is that Asda will ensure the promised money to the PCT will remain on the table for ten years rather than five [where if it isn’t used it can be claimed back - er, I think]. One councillor [not on the planning board] needed this explaining to him – of course we understood straight away the implications [hmm] - that hopefully we would get our own health care facilities built in Langley Mill within this time-span. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this.

Access to the residential development was discussed briefly and was pointed out that it will be a terrible loss to the neighbourly spirit that we have on our street with us being a dead end with no through traffic. The children can now play on the street without fear and are watched over by us all, but this will change if we become the access to the new houses. Also there still remains the difficulties of an extra 70 plus cars using our road with the current car parking situation. This will be gone into more thoroughly at a later date with our local council, as this is now the only major niggle we on Bridge Street have.
I heard something odd this morning - that Heanor Haulage's crap was moving to Bowmer & Kirkland - where the first Asda in Langley Mill rumours originated from over 18 months ago. I suppose it could just be a temporary arrangement for HH.

Or maybe ... it's just the start of more rumours. Great! I love rumours - they keep me happily blogging for hours you know ...