Aldi supermarket plan ‘least worst’ option?

As I looked at plans for this horrid development and talked to representatives about my concerns regarding the impact on immediate neighbours, light and noise pollution, the need for yet another supermarket in a town already well served with such and so on, the principal argument seemed to be that the proposals were, at least, better than previous plans for the site.

There we have it in a nutshell, the deep problem afflicting the Ribble Valley in the second decade of the 21st Century; Least Worst Syndrome! We are asked to accept the monstrous Standen Village core strategy as it is better than the alternatives. Our councillors give in to further planning applications all over the valley as it is better than fighting our ground and risk losing, and now we are asked to accept a fifth supermarket right at the entrance to our town as it is better than the previous untenable plan. Least Worse Syndrome!

Wouldn’t it be great if, for once, we asked for and got what is best for the Ribble Valley and the folk who live here now and in the future and not the least worst?

Or am I a hopeless optimist?

Anna Barcroft

Clitheroe