AT a March planning committee meeting, Councillors (Richard) Udall and (Alan) Amos, from opposing political parties, found amusement in opposing jointly Myriad’s application to provide a purpose-built facility for members of our local community with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) (‘Laughter at the Guildhall’, Worcester News, March 24).

The councillors’ objection centred on the impact of the proposal on car parking, in particular in Henry Street to the rear of the Myriad Centre.

Henry Street is a cul-de-sac of Victorian terraced houses, built before the motor car existed.

Hardly surprising then that in the evening residents’ parking can become tricky.

But none of Myriad’s staff or clients use Henry Street to access their building.

Myriad has operated its service from the St George’s Walk site for more than 17 years and is an accepted part of the community, providing day care and helping the young adults we serve to live their lives as fully as possible.

The present building is an adapted Victorian chapel now desperately in need of renovation.

So rather than tinker with what is already a significantly-compromised building, the plan is to re-build, on the current site, a centre designed specifically for young adults with PMLD, making the very best use of the whole of the building in an environmentally-efficient way.

It has taken Worcester planners over 14 months to process the application — every detail, including traffic impact surveys, was painstakingly addressed and approval was recommended subject to conditions.

At the last minute, councillors voted to add a further condition — that Myriad pay to fund a residents’ parking scheme in Henry Street.

What a state of affairs — the able-bodied imposing a tax on the disabled to fund their otherwise unaffordable parking scheme!

Councillors Udall and Amos may have been amused.

In my view it’s no laughing matter.

Mike Cartledge

Myriad trustee