CONCERNED about the Barons Quay planning application, I visited the planning department three weeks ago and found the application had just been submitted.

Note that the application was submitted when most people were busy preparing for Christmas.

In the autumn there was a lot of criticism of the design. I thought designers would take some notice.

However, looking at the drawings I found these to be just the same.

The proposed cinema block was still too big in scale to be positioned close to the River Weaver. The 3D views of the new shopping area resembled what one would observe walking through the shopping precinct at Milton Keynes, a new town. I mentioned in a letter that consideration should be given to the large residential development on the west bank of the Weaver, positioned between the town bridges. These buildings match in well and reflect the timber framing/patterning and white painted rendered brick panels which are key features of older Northwich town buildings. The new shopping area will have the big attraction of being linked more closely to the Weaver. Some of the more affluent shops along Witton Street/High Street and Weaver Square will move into the new area, resulting in old core areas of the town becoming ghost areas. Is this what regeneration is about?

I telephoned the planning department and was disappointed to find that no objections had been received regarding the application submitted in early December. I would urge the strongly supported group of local people who objected to the proposals to write in again.

NEIL RUTTER Sandiway