I WOULD have hoped your reporter, who is also the chairman of the Christchurch Independents Councillors Group, would have recognised the difference between ‘improvement opportunities’ and ‘proposals’ because that is what I have highlighted.

That’s it, ‘opportunities’ are ideas, no more, no less. So, a headline starting with the word ‘anger’ is totally out of order and inappropriate and gives your readers a false impression, which is ‘wide of the mark’.

What I do hope is your readers, particularly in Christchurch, will come forward with their ideas and suggestions to improve the viability and attractiveness of Christchurch town centre. Residents naturally feel passionate, as I do, about their towns and it is important for them to show their support.

Post the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, Christchurch needs to re-establish itself, as competing locations, such as Castlepoint Shopping Centre, Bailey Bridge Retail Park, where Lidl are shortly due to open a second store in the town, and the Meteor Retail Park in Somerford Road, together with online retailing, will continue to make retailing in the town centre a challenge.

Also, it has to be remembered that some 160 car parking spaces have been or are about to be lost in the town centre largely following the former Christchurch Independent members’ decision, when Conservatives on Christchurch Borough Council, to sell the Pit Site car park to Aster Homes in respect of the police station and magistrates court site, which make up some 90 spaces of the total.

It would be good to see Christchurch Independents’ as well as the Liberal’s (Cllr Mike Cox, Priory Ward) ideas for the town centre, which so far have not been forthcoming, rather than a strategy of castigating others who have ideas to bring about the future prosperity of Christchurch.

CLLR NIGEL BROOKS MBA MRICS Chartered Surveyor Highcliffe & Walkford Parish Council