BROADCASTER and writer Griff Rhys Jones has visited Bury St Edmunds to hear of planning-related problems unique to the town.

Mr Rhys Jones, who is president of Civic Voice, has been touring East Anglia to galvanise support for civic societies following planning reforms, which it is feared will make it easier for developments to go ahead.

He spoke at a Bury Society event at the Unitarian Meeting House in Churchgate Street.

He said: “For me what we represent, all of us, in civic societies is people who look to the future and I hope look slightly further to the future than many of our leaders or governors...they seem to be very much concerned about the next five years and trying to dig themselves out of this recession which, after all, is a world-wide phenomenon.”

He added: “If you don’t look after your own back garden then who is going to?”

He described Bury St Edmunds as a “successful” town, which had a mix of commercial and residential in the centre as well as cultural icons.

Issues raised in a question and answer session included new towns and affordable homes.