RUMOURS are rife that building work on the White Street development appears to be slowing. Shopkeepers, butchers and caterers in the area have told the Broadcast that only a handful of workmen appear to be on-site at any one time sparking worries over the

RUMOURS are rife that building work on the White Street development appears to be slowing.

Shopkeepers, butchers and caterers in the area have told the Broadcast that only a handful of workmen appear to be on-site at any one time sparking worries over the length of time that development could go on for.

Edwards chip shop owner Tony Taylor spoke out on behalf of all the shopkeepers at the south end of the High Street.

He said: "Every day we look over there but don't seem to see any real activity. No one seems to be building anything fast and that has got us all worried about how long the development could take to complete.

"We have had no correspondence from anybody on the subject and although it hasn't affected my sales, I know that other shop owners are suffering."

Traders have said that since the building work started they have suffered, as car parking spaces have been removed and ditches have been dug outside their shop windows, causing customers to look elsewhere.

In a statement, development company Bryant Homes, declined to deny that the economic slowdown in the housing market had affected building work on the site.

Company spokesman Dan Pole said: "As we have indicated in our recent stock market announcements, our focus remains on preserving value by maintaining a stead, but reduced sales rate, controlling land and work in progress, and spending tightly.

"As such, we continue to evaluate our existing and future site programme on the basis of local market conditions."

The site will also house Dunmow's new library, due to be completed in September 2009. Although house-building has evidently slowed the library is still on course for completion on time, which will come as a relief to many.

Essex County Council libraries officer Jenny Salisbury said that the shell of the library will be completed by April next year.

It will then be handed over to her jurisdiction so that she can arrange the fitting of shelves, counters, carpets and lighting before finally adding the all-important books and computers.

What do you think about the housing development market in general or the slowdown claimed on White Street? Write to the Broadcast at 2 Angel Lane, Dunmow, Essex CM6 1AQ, or e-mail the editor on editor@ dunmowbroadcast.co.uk

Or you can visit the website www.dunmowbroadcast24.co.uk