Page 19 of Hearts Colliding
But it was nothing more than a blip, as Alex recovered himself in an instant.
“As I say, returning to the village and reinstating the house to a lively and loved family home, for me, just isn’t possible, which means the property will remain empty and will fall into a state of further disrepair.”
“Looks all right to me. I walk past every day with the dogs,” a grumpy voice called out.
Alex shook his head. “Looks can be deceptive.”
Ryan grunted.You can say that again…Alex might have been the hottest man he’d set eyes on in a long time, but the guy was frozen down to his bones.
“An inspection shows there are numerous problems including damp which will only get worse if the house is left empty. Yes, it looks okay if you give it not much more than a glance — whilst walking past with your dogs, for example — but take a closer look, behind the façade, and what you find is a mess.”
Alex stopped. Clearing his throat he glanced down as if his own words had caught him out. But the image was dispelled as Alex lifted his head and looked out over the crowd. The pro was back in the room. Alex’s gaze swept the hall coming, just for the briefest moment, to a stop when Alex’s eyes met his own. The smallest of pauses, and Ryan was powerless to stop the shiver running across his skin, as loathing mixed with unwanted, detested admiration and attraction sparked every nerve in his body.
“Let me ask you something.” Alex got to his feet, his voice as confiding as before. “Do you, as residents of Love’s Harbour, really wish to have a decaying house, derelict and boarded up, marring the village, with everything it’ll inevitably bring? That’s what it’ll become. An open invitation to squatters.” Alex paused. On sudden, high alert, Ryan’s whole body stiffened. Scare tactics.Do you want urban decay to come to the village?“It’s the inevitable outcome if the house is left as it is.”
Not a sound came from the gathering.
Ryan’s nails dug deep into his palms. Alex was pressing every one of the hidden fears deep in the heart of the villagers, old and new alike, fears that had to be knocked down. Anger overwhelmed him. He jumped up, leapt to the stage and faced Alex.
“So your solution to these scare tactics you’re throwing out is to build a housing estate which will increase the size of the village by over thirty percent, before pocketing the proceeds and walking away? What sort of impact do you think it’d have on the community?” Ryan counted his points off on his fingers. “More traffic, more roads, more infrastructure — schools, medical services, other amenities. Love’s Harbour wouldn’t be a village any longer, but a town. A town nobody wants. Except for you, because it all helps to line your pocket.”
Ryan’s outburst broke the spell Alex had cast, as the packed hall voiced its agreement.
Alex waited, calm and unperturbed, until the hubbub died down.
“You make it sound, Ryan, as if I’m proposing building a high rise estate. I’m not. You and everybody here knows that’s not so, if you’ve studied the plans. Have you?”
Alex looked out over the crowd which as one flipped through the pages of the planning application.
“I understand the concerns over infrastructure. Of course I do. If our positions were reversed that would be a worry. But great care has been taken to mitigate the impact. It’s all there — in detail — in the appendices.
“The proposal is to restore the New House to its former glory for conversion into apartments. The outbuildings would also be renovated — like the main house, they’re in need of a lot of work, and soon, if they’re not to decay beyond all hope of restoration. And as for the land which was formerly the Jenkins farm, the proposal is for it to be converted into a small scale development, the majority of which will comprise affordable housing, with amenities which would only enhance the life of the village, not take away from it. There would be play areas for children, and a handful of tastefully designed retail units showcasing the work of local craftsmen and women—”
“The Jenkins farm’s rural land and that’s how it should stay,” a Devonian accented voice called out. “The village was raising money to buy it for small holdings and such like, and you come along and pull the rug from under us."
“The Jenkins land is officially designated as a brownfield site. It wasn’t actually a farm in the traditional sense of the word, but a poultry processing business.”
A worried murmur spread around the hall. Alex threw a glance towards Ryan, their eyes locking for a moment. The Jenkins farm, which wasn’t really a farm at all, was the chink in their armour.
“So along with all these houses on the Jenkins plot, you’re also proposing to build a shopping centre?” A loud, confident London voice boomed. “I’m all for supporting appropriate retail openings, but your proposal would divert trade from the village — everybody who’s built a business here would suffer.”
A roar of approval went up, and a round of applause.
“I don’t agree that’s the case, and I’ve enough experience to trust in my belief. The village has changed out of all recognition in the twenty years since I was last here. Twenty years during which Love’s Harbour has ceased to be a backwater, cut off from the rest of the county due to poor roads, which the older established villagers will recall were all but impassable when the winter snows fell.”
A low rumble of agreement met his words.
“The Love’s Harbour of today isn’t the same place. New homes have sprung up. Older properties, many of which were all but derelict, have been lovingly restored. New businesses have opened — which, dare I say it, are more upmarket. Long established businesses have been given a new lease of life.” Alex met Ryan’s eye, the challenge Ryan saw there unmistakable. “A great many people from other parts of the country have come to make this their home, bringing prosperity with them. My proposal will add to that, not threaten what’s already here.”
“So, homes for the wealthy, is that what you mean? Or investment properties that’ll stand empty for much of the time? How does that benefit the village?” an angry voice Ryan recognised from the pub called out.
“No, that’s not what I mean.” Alex shook his head hard. “Haven’t I already said that most will be affordable homes? Apartments for those seeking to get on the property ladder, and larger properties for families. Local families.” Alex took a few steps forward, his attention laser like on the crowd. “Your families. Your sons, your daughters. The younger generation, who are forced to move away due to the lack of housing for them in the village where they grew up.
“If this proposal is accepted by the local authority, moving away won’t be their only viable option, because they’ll be able to afford to stay. Why would you object to that?”
CHAPTERELEVEN
On the harbour front, Alex closed his eyes, letting the cool of the on-shore breeze wash over him, a relief after the heat of the hall.
