Dear Editor

Such strong feelings are being expressed by all but everyone should be prepared for this County Council and Ross Town Council to approve the development. The Councils do not have much of a track record in supporting views of their electorate. But elections are coming. Find out where your local councillors and county councillors stand on this controversial issue.

The owners clearly can’t make enough money out of this hotel so it makes sense for them to try and dispose of it and capitalise on the investment they have made over the years - we would all do the same.

If the application is approved there is no question it will add to the congestion in the centre of Ross and we lose the remaining green area.

I wonder if all efforts to sell it to hotel groups have been exhausted? Or nursing homes etc?

My daughter’s wedding was at The Chase over a decade ago and I have attended many events over the years. However, I do object to the proposed residential development plans.

Councillors please bear in mind all the many hundreds of houses surrounding Ross in development or planning stages which will bring thousands more adults and children requiring services and gridlocking roads, making Ross even more undesirable for visitors and residents.

We need the support services and infrastructure before more housing and residents.

Everyone is aware this town needs more school capacity, doctors, supermarkets and town centre refurbishment, ( anyone looked at the state of the building above Mountain Warehouse/Boots lately - a disgrace).

Ross central is a mess in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - how has it got this way? Who has been running Ross?

It’s amazing that the Ross neighbourhood development plan is still months away from being completed. The NDP is so important and it’s worth noting that the council have already suggested housing on The Chase site in the draft NPD as reported in Ross Gazette January 23rd, page 3.

We don’t need more housing accommodation for “out of our area” Housing Associations. We need to see more imagination and analysis of the town’s requirements. This development will not add anything to Ross-on-Wye or improve the increasingly shabby appearance of Ross town centre.

Doug Skeggs

Weston under Penyard