Letter: More Houses Would Destroy Normandy

Published on: 4 Jun, 2016
Updated on: 6 Jan, 2024

From: Normandy Resident (name and address supplied)

In response to the letter: “We Do Need More Houses and a School In Normandy“

I am a 25-year-old who has just bought a house in Normandy and I disagree with the points made in Clive Winter’s letter.

Say if Normandy was to get a shop, however far it was located from your house, you may still be unable to get to that shop and could feel ‘marooned’ when older.

Anyway, what exactly would this local shop be used for by the residents? Like many other people I go to a supermarket to buy my food (via train or bus if needs be) and buy a week’s worth of food and supplies, just like a normal couple or family would do.

I feel many of the residents would just not have a need for this shop, and exactly the same thing would happen as in the past with shop closure. My grandmother lived in Normandy up to the age of 95 and did not feel ‘marooned’, and she had no need for a shop and was able to make her own arrangements to get supplies.

Maybe Normandy just needs an extra bus service to get to the existing shop down the road (there’s one that’s free to the elderly anyhow)?

I feel that Clive Winter may well be more suited to living in a town rather than a small country village, as it has been for hundreds of years, such as Normandy.

I have heard nothing about limited spaces of secondary schools in the area, from a few families I have spoken to they have all managed to get their first choices and schools such as Ash Manor (a few miles away) which are under subscribed.

As a ‘young person’ I have definitely aired my views and have already been in direct contact with many of the councillors. I really do not see there is a housing crisis. I am on an average wage and have afforded to buy in Normandy and have also had a wide selection of property in the area.

Building these extra houses would destroy the village in my opinion. Did Mr Winter originally move to Normandy to live in a quiet countryside village or did he move here with the hope it would become an urban jungle?