South Cerney war memorial could be moved (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

South Cerney war memorial could be moved

8:00am Monday 10th September 2012 in News By Ian Craig

THE war memorial in South Cerney could be moved if plans by the parish council go ahead.

Outline planning permission was recently granted for 140 homes on the former industrial site off The Mallards and, as part of the plans, the junction with Broadway Lane and High Street, where the memorial currently sits on a traffic island, must be improved.

Although the developers had presented a number of plans, including moving the entire road, the parish council recently suggested moving the memorial a few feet so the current ‘triangle’ junction could be changed to a t-junction.

The plans were discussed at a recent meeting of the parish council, where chairman Cllr Mike Stuart said villagers were largely in favour of the idea.

"I’ve only had one objection sent to me by a woman saying her and her husband are against it, but I’ve had several people contact me and say yes go ahead," he said.

Vice-chairman Philip Nicholas said the improvements would make the memorial a more attractive area as would not be forced to stand in the middle of a traffic island to visit it.

"It will be more of a garden area which will make it more pleasant I feel," he said.

Roger Edgar, secretary of the South Cerney branch of the Royal British Legion, said the group had met with the parish council to discuss the idea.

"Generally people were reasonably happy with moving it as long as it is done in a reasonable way," he said. The parish council is due to meet with planers Redrow soon to discuss the plans.