Beleaguered Ashford residents fed up with "being treated like second class citizens" could be headed for a brighter future after plans to build a new post office emerged this week.

At a meeting of Spelthorne Borough Council's planning committee, a successful application was made to convert a former post office site into three smaller stores.

The first will be a coffee shop, the second a bookies and the third, it is hoped, would be Hallmark Cards, which is currently in negotiations with Royal Mail over taking on a franchise.

Council leader John Packman said: "Following a comment from the developer's agent made at the planning committee last week in regards to the possibility of Hallmark and how they might take one of the units and provide a post office facility, I have taken this matter up with the Post Office authorities, who have said they are currently considering several applications, but will go no further in view of confidentiality issues.

"The council is very keen to see the post office return to Ashford following the loss in Woodthorpe Road and very much hope that the landlord and Hallmark cards will reach an understanding to allow a post office to be incorporated in the shops for the benefit of Ashford and Spelthorne."

The news would be a considerable boost for Ashford, which lost its main post office about nine months ago when the Co-op closed.

Speaking at the meeting, a representative for the owner of the Atrium building in Church Road said: "The site has been vacant for months and has proved a drag on the area.

"The Co-op found it impossible to compete with the new Tesco that opened so what chance do smaller local shops have?

"We struggled to fill the single fronted premises.

"We are looking at a franchise of Hallmark and we are encouraging an application with the view of opening up a post office within the property.

"The current economy makes it unlikely that a single user would want the property."

The plans, which were passed in a nine to two vote, were described as a "benefit to the community" by Councillor Gerald Foresbury and "the best we can get" by Councillor Jack Pinkerton.

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