THE re-submission of planning application for a KFC/Costa Coffee outlet on the Ridgeway Car Sales site at Rushington roundabout appears to be the same as before apart from very minor changes.

Residents’ objections remain unaddressed but the traffic aspect has been highlighted by three serious accidents on Rushington roundabout in the last few weeks.

The comment by the developers that the operators are experienced in dealing with the litter aspect will be no comfort to those in surrounding areas when, after picking up and eating their takeaway, car occupants open the car windows and throw out the rubbish!

As for the car parking being reduced from 54 to 50 places – the chances are there will be at least two people in each vehicle which allows 100 plus people to be on that site at the same time – the resultant noise is bound to travel to surrounding residential areas and the potential for unsocial behaviour must be high.

The publicised “carrot” of 70 jobs will be easily outweighed when existing food outlets in Totton start to close because of business taken away if this new development goes ahead.

Surely similar outlets at Millbrook, Ower and soon-tobe Commercial Road Totton, plus McDonald’s in Asda Totton and Costa Coffee in Totton precinct is more than enough?

Once it’s there, it will never go away and New Forest District Council has only given until June 30 for people to make their views known.

It’s no good complaining about the consequences and bemoaning the loss of local shops after the event – we need to make our views known now!

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