DISTRICT councillors may be evenly divided over the siting of the proposed Ludlow Eco-business Park. But what do the citizens think?

Roving Advertiser reporter John Corness was out and about in town the day after the vote, sounding out public opinion.

He was impressed to find that almost everyone he spoke to was not only fully aware of the issues involved, but by lunchtime already knew which way the vote had gone.

Here is a sample of their comments:

l Stephen Ross, of Broad Street Books, Ludlow, said: "I'd like to see the Eco-park in South Shropshire, and preferably in Ludlow. I don't see why local people should have to travel long distances to work. I live near Foldgate and appreciate its beauty, but I don't mind where the park goes. The needs of the population must come first.

"It's not going to put off visitors, who come to see the old town. They are used to seeing this sort of thing on the outskirts of any town.

"The majority of people who are against the development probably don't need work in the area. They are probably retired. Put jobs first. We must keep a good age-mix in the town, by keeping our young people. It's healthy."

l Colin Brewer, managing director of Transport Training Services in Ludlow, said: "I am for it. What the area needs is inward investment that isn't tourism. Anything that provides jobs is good.

"As to stepping beyond the by-pass, we'd never have expanded or progressed at all if we'd always adopted that attitude.

"When I was 16 or 18 there were manufacturing jobs here. Now they have all gone."

l Gary Lewis, of Diddlebury, a student at Ludlow College, said: "It would be good because it would bring jobs. There aren't many large firms in the area. We need to keep young people here."

l Gareth Davies, Learning Centre manager at Ludlow College, said: "I live near the site, in the Sheet Road area, and from that point of view I'm not keen on the development. It will lead to an increase in traffic and noise. But to have some extra facilities would be an advantage. It might take some pressure off the old town centre and make Ludlow less congested.

"But I'm probably against it on balance. I'd like to keep Ludlow as it is, not make it like all the other towns in Britain."

l Mark Caley, a chicken-plucker at Sun Valley, who lives in Sandpits, said: "The idea is OK as long as they don't end up building houses on the old business park. I think that is what they are after in the long run. It's a way of getting building land and moving the business park over the by-pass.

"As I understand it, half the people on Sheet Road business park have plans to move across. I have been told that people on the business park, who have been there since it opened, 10 years or more, are being offered discounts to move.

"How can we need a new business park when so many units are empty on the old one?

"Where else can you build houses? It might not come right away, but I think that's what they are after."