CHARD’S proposed regeneration scheme has won praise from a Liberal Democrat front-bencher during a flying visit to the town.

Jo Swinson MP, who is the party’s deputy leader, travelled all the way from her constituency in East Dunbartonshire to visit Chard on Wednesday afternoon (April 17), as part of a wider tour of Somerset.

She said there was “a very clear choice” between her party’s plans to regenerate the area and the cuts offered by the Conservative-run county council.

The local party has brushed off suggestions that it could lose control of the council, citing public support for its regeneration aims.

Speaking outside the Guildhall on Fore Street, Ms Swinson said her party “never takes any vote for granted” and praised the work of current council leader Val Keitch, who is standing for re-election in Ilminster.

She said: “South Somerset is an area that has returned Liberal Democrat councils for, I think, 35 years – so clearly local people think what Val and her team are doing here is great, and it’s always good to come and see Lib Dem success stories.

“The Chard regeneration project, with the plans for the leisure centre and so on, is a really great example of what Liberal Democrats do to deliver for local communities when we’re in control.”

The Lib Dems have held some form of control over the council since 1987 – meaning a victory on May 2 would stretch their tenure to 32 years.

Ms Swinson is the third high-profile MP from the party to visit the district in as many weeks, following party leader Vince Cable MP on April 4, and Sir Ed Davey MP on April 14.

But she rebuffed any suggestion that the party was worried about losing ground, either in Chard or across the district as a whole, as a result of its stance on Brexit.

She said: “Clearly there are going to be people who are motivated by that issue.

“I think what many people will be focussing on on May 2 is what they want for their area – for Chard or whichever part of South Somerset they live in – and therefore, who is going to deliver for them.

“Is it going to be the Liberal Democrats, who are already doing so much good for the local area and are regenerating the town? Or the Conservatives who, by contrast, have actually been closing services through the county council?

“That’s the very clear choice that is on offer to local people in these elections.”

Jason Baker is standing for the party in the Chard Holyrood ward, which includes the regeneration scheme site.

Speaking after Ms Swinson’s visit, he said he was “fairly confident” his party could keep control of the council, citing local response to the new pool proposals.

He said: “Everyone is really keen to see the site get developed – everyone’s really keen to have a pool rebuilt in Chard following the closure of Cresta.

“There’s been a real hole left by that – it means you’ve got to travel to Crewkerne or Axminster to take anyone swimming, or to learn to swim.

“I think the pool is a real good asset to the town, and bringing along the soft play, and the gym, and all the other things that are going to come along with it, it’s going to a real benefit.

“People seem really keen and just really want to see us get on with it.”

Unlike previous attempts to regenerate Chard town centre, the new swimming pool and other facilities is being underwritten by the council’s own finances, rather than a partnership with a retailer or other commercial operator.

Mr Baker said the council was close to submitting planning permission for the first phase of the regeneration scheme, including the demolition of the former ACI buildings.

He said: “We’re actually really confident that we can deliver this. We’ve got everything ready that we need to submit the plans, and we can just then hopefully move forward as quickly as possible.”

A total of 533 people attended the most recent consultation event on the regeneration scheme, which was held at the Guildhall on March 16, with more than 20 per cent leaving feedback either on the day or via email.

Jeb Farrah, the council’s project manager for the regeneration scheme, summarised people’s feedback in a written report which came before the area west committee on Wednesday evening (April 17).

She said: “The majority of the respondents thought that the wider master-plan scheme was very exciting, and they were really interested in the proposals.

“Many said they thought the leisure centre plans in particular were very exciting.

“A number of the respondents said they wanted the pool offer to include lessons for all ages.

“People really liked the wider ambitions for the public realm improvements… recognising that traffic and transport issues have an important role in bringing the regeneration activities together.”

Ms Farrah said planning applications for the Boden Mill and former ACI site would be submitted by the end of May. If these are approved “in a timely manner”, the council aims to begin work on site before the end of the year.

Further consultation on the various planned public realm improvements will take place in Chard over the summer.