A NEW food shop, traffic fears and protection of green space are among the top community issues in the new Rodbourne Cheney ward.

The ward, comprised partly from the existing Moredon Ward, covers Rodbourne Cheney, Moredon and Cheney Manor Industrial Estate.

Terry Hunt, the chairman of Rodbourne Cheney Residents’ Association, said a key issue was the new Farmfoods shop, which was built on the former site of the Rodbourne Arms pub, in Cheney Manor Road.

He said he was generally pleased with the new amenity and the adding that the chain had kindly relocated a nearby bench owned by the association.

But he said the shop had caused parking problems for residents.

“Unfortunately, it appears the management of Farmfoods will not allow their staff to park on site,” he said.

“So even when they have a car park that’s about 15 per cent full, the staff members have to park on the roads outside, which is absolutely ridiculous because that’s taking valuable parking spaces that our residents would normally use.”

Mr Hunt said the association had reported the problem, through current ward councillor Jim Grant, to Farmfoods, which explained that it had brought in staff from outside the area to initially run the store.

He said the chain would not change its parking policy, but hoped the issue would resolve when it started to employ local residents, who could walk to work.

In other issues, Mr Hunt said the association was worried about increased congestion through Rodbourne Cheney and Moredon due to new planned housing developments, particularly Tadpole Farm, at Blunsdon.

He said he wanted the new councillors to fight for the completion of Thamesdown Drive, which he said was originally supposed to end at Great Western Way, near B&Q.

Mr Hunt said he also wanted the council to protect from development what he say as a greenbelt running alongside Akers Way, going across Northern Road, and running into Pinehurst, and Gorse Hill.

Resident Joyce Mugatroyd, 95, of Whitworth Road, Rodbourne Cheney, said Farmfoods had caused extra noise, fumes and congestion.

“The biggest issue we have here, which is a big inconvenience, is the new building on the corner where the Rodbourne Arms used to be,” said Mrs Mugatroyd, a retired school teacher and long-time Rodbourne resident. “That’s our problem at the moment, living where I do, right near it.

“The amount of traffic it has brought to us is absolutely awful, and you’ve got cars trying to get in and out of their car park on an busy road, which is right on the corner of the crossroads.”

FarmFoods declined to comment.