THE report of the district planning meeting covering the proposed fitness centre (Shuttle/Times and News, November 15) portrayed me as being grossly insulting towards the folk of Foley Park and Oldington.
This was not what I intended at all and I apologise for any hurt which I might have caused.
Wyre Forest District Council is just completing the laborious task of revising the district Local Plan, which has yet to be approved.
As part of this process, a retail impact study has been carried out along with extensive public consultation to establish the needs of the local population so that they might be accommodated within the new Local Plan.
This extensive, thorough, recent research did not identify the need for a low-cost fitness centre.
Passing this plan for a leisure and commercial venture on land which has currently been identified as an industrial site makes a nonsense of the whole planning process and once one departure is allowed it opens up the way for others.
The only justification for such a departure is when the Local Plan is old and about to be reviewed.
My unfortunate, flippant remark, which I totally regret, was to illustrate that even if this facility was built, the research evidence suggests that local inhabitants will not use it to any great extent.
The damage to the Local Plan would then have been to no avail.
COUNCILLOR SIRI HAYWARD
Granville Crest
Kidderminster
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