CONCERNED town councillors have deferred the adoption of a blueprint for the future of Stroud town centre until it has been considered by other local authorities.

Members said they were against some of the plans in the Public Realm Strategy, especially the depertment store, and wanted the county and district councils to first consider it first.

Speaking at a full council meeting on Monday, November 10, mayor John Marjoram said: "It was so diabolical and upset so many people to show a big department store at the top of the town."

But he stressed the plans were still open and urged members simply to derer adopting the strategy to show solidarity with the other councils.

Linda Townley, who is also district councillor for Uplands, said: "It’s a nonsense at this moment in time.

"Unless the county council has put some money down on the table it doesn’t mean anything.

"The thing I can’t support is the building on the car parks in Parliament and Church Street without any real knowledge about what’s going to be put in their place."

Cllr Townley said residents wanted better access through Merrywalks, new surfacing on the Highstreet and improved facilities at the bus station – not department stores.

She added that some of the plans should be implemented by the district and county councils without a costly strategy.

Deputy mayor Andy Read said: "Unless somebody is going to put up the money, nothing is every going to be done.

"This stage was largely a waste of money because most of it has already been planned before."

A six-week consultation on the initial plans of the strategy, which was commissioned by the Stroud Concordat, started on Thursday, October 23.