Hi Decords and Cheeky,
On the flats issue, they are being "reconfigured" and there is to be a two-part extension to the rear, which as far as I can see will overlook the new mews houses. The developers of that scheme may not be too pleased about this as they have put a lot into making it as attractive as possible and getting it to blend in with what is already there.
I'm not against new development, honestly. But, it needs to be sensitive and to meet what people here really need, as opposed to what developers think will bring in the most money for them.
Yes, I know that our shopping parade is short of fresh meat, fish, and to some extent, vegetables, but is a big Sainsbury's Local really the right solution? What I'd really love to see would be a shop or shops like Peter James in Ewhurst Road, which offers proper butcher's meat, good frozen fish and fresh vegetables, along with cheese, stock, goose fat and so on. If Sainsbury's comes in to the parade, inevitably the cost of shop rentals will rise, so the likelihood of any further independent food shops coming in will be reduced. I did go to the meeting, and I was not convinced by the claimed benefits. Sorry.