WITH reference to the former market site at Firepool.

It should now be obvious, after 10 years of dithering and several hundreds of thousands of pounds of council tax payers monies expended on crony consultants, that this would be an ideal site for a market.

Unfortunately, that valuable amenity was gifted away along with countless millions of revenue to another authority by a gross act of political incompetency. 

Furthermore, it resulted in development of a greenfield site leaving a brownfield site vacant. 

In the intervening years, this hitherto valuable real estate has generated next to no income because it might appear according to our politicians not to have a viable alternative use. 

READ MORE: Decision over council's plan for hotel at Firepool in Taunton deferred

Taunton has not the size or ambition to further extend its town centre shopping facilities with existing premises increasingly difficult to let. 

The proposal that the local authority funds the development of a hotel that would then be leased back to a luxury hotel chain smacks of desperation. 

In common with such schemes, the majority of the space would be turned over to car parking. 

Taunton really has no need for another publicly funded white elephant especially one that would take trade from existing businesses in the town. 

READ MORE: Firepool development plan approved

If a proper assessment of need was made it would be obvious that affordable housing and light industry should be considered for this site and not the grandiose schemes of wastrel politicians concerned about their legacy.

DAVID SMITH
Bradford On Tone