ELLESMERE'S Shropshire councillor Ann Hartley has slammed the ‘appalling’ manner in which heartbroken Brownlow Road residents have been treated over new housing plans.
Cllr Hartley, Shropshire Council's deputy leader, met with those affected to announce her disgust after they approached councillors at Ellesmere Town Council's public meeting.
Shropshire Council is currently considering knocking down residents' garages to make way for new affordable housing.
"This situation has been handled appallingly," Cllr Hartley said.
"Tenants have been paying a regular rental, some for more than 50 years, and I will support them in every way I can.
Shropshire Council is considering building four new affordable homes on the site of the 12 garages, which have been maintained by residents, as part of a wider scheme.
Roger Kynaston, one of the residents affected, said: "This is utterly disgraceful and I am heartbroken.
“It is upsetting everybody and very stressful.
"We only found out by chance after people came taking pictures and testing the soil.
“I have had a garage there for 56 years and maintain the ground around it myself.
“To lose them would also cause a tremendous loss of money on our properties,” he added.
Another Brownlow Road resident, Julia Price said: “Parking along Brownlow Road is already bad and all this has come about as a bit of a mystery,” she added.
Mayor of Ellesmere, Cllr Alan Clarke, said residents would have the town council's support on the matter and hoped those affected would be given the option to buy the garages in a move that could resolve the issue.
LEFT: Unhappy Browlow Road residents.