THE corporate body which is Swan Housing Association should be hanging its head in shame.

During the public consultation, time after time its representatives stressed they were totally committed to maintaining a viable shopping centre at Laindon.

Just look at the area now. Over 60 mature trees destroyed with not a peep from Basildon Council and a claim that “things are progressing and on target”.

Now we find that they have managed to force out Greggs, the newsagents, the cleaners, the off licence, the Co-op food store, with the opticians having to relocate to a private bungalow, the hairdressers moving to a completely different neighbourhood centre.

The only remaining shops basically are the chemist and a fish and chip shop.

So this is what Swan considers a “viable and functioning shopping centre”.

Swan has reneged on all the important factors which matter to Laindon. So where are the elected representatives of the area defending the people they are supposed to speak up for?

Conspicuous by their silence.

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Victor T York

Buller Road, Laindon