I CONSIDERED the item in this week’s edition about the redevelopment of New Town House and surrounds with interest (Warrington Guardian, September 1).

My understanding of the plan is that the current Asda at Cockhedge will go. Again, yet another loss of convenient retail services in the town centre in the interest of ‘progress’.

In addition to the loss of stores like BHS, Debenhams and other financial casualties, the town centre has also lost Marks and Spencer, B&Q, Dunelm Mill and others which have headed north of the centre.

I am well aware that I will be told that there are two other Asda stores at Westbrook and Birchwood, and that M&S have a super facility at Gemini.

For those of us who live south of the ship canal and are no longer allowed to drive for medical reasons (or other reasons for that matter), these so-called advantages are of scant benefit.

For a sizable number of non-drivers in the south of the town, things get progressively worse.

I am well aware that there is a Morrisons in Stockton Heath, but pedestrian access to and from the bus stops is not easy, as the lights on the busy T-junction do not have a green man crossing facility.

Irrespective of the disadvantages to those of us with disabilities, as a nation we are daily being exhorted to drive less in the interests of decreasing global warming.

Residents of Lymm, Thelwall, Appleton, etc. will in future need to drive a minimum of double the distance to access Asda. For those of us who do not drive, it as good as impossible.

This trend to out-of-centre retail outlets has been ongoing for a good number of years now, but I for one fail to see how it represents progress given the need to cut down on energy use.

BOB BROOKS

Lymm