First major RSS planning threat is here!

Greenbelt land around Innsworth - but how long for?

Please make time to attend a planning meeting at Longford Village Hall, Longford Road, Gloucester, GL2 9DE) at 7pm on Wednesday July 15th. Here’s why…

One of our number attended a recent meeting involving legal counsel for Robert Hitchins and Tewkesbury BC. What follows is an extract from his notes. I you will agree its a compelling case for us to turn up in numbers.

Anthony Crean Q.C . on behalf of the developer Robert Hitchin: The RSS is coming, and on that basis we have the right to build these 1750 (up to 2,500) houses on this Greenbelt search area round Innsworth.

Paul Cairnes on behalf of Tewkesbury Borough and Glouceestershire County councils 

appealed on the following grounds:

- whether there are very special circumstances to justify development within the greenbelt

- whether granting development in advance of the Joint Core Strategy evedence is premature

-  Whether proposal delivers adequate affordable housing

- Whether appropriate design standards have been met

- whether adequate community infrastructure is provided / intrusion into the rural landscape

- The acceptability or otherwise of the proposed s106 (This is code for the SW RSS) obligations offered by the appallent

 So this is maybe two thousand houses plus on the Green Belt between here and Gloucester. It could turn out to be an important test case for the RSS, so please consider coming along on next Wednesday.

 

Record of Public Meeting 24th April

MP’s From Both Sides Join in Condemning Government Plans for Unnecessary Housing

MP's and Cheltonians gather in Town Hall to Protest against RSS

 

Save the Countryside arranged a meeting on April 24^th for spokespersons from the major parties to come to the Cheltenham Municipal Offices to inform us of their party’s stance on the government’s Regional Spatial Strategy – RSS. Over 150 people packed into the Chamber to cheer them on.

Martin Horwood and Nick Herbert, the shadow environment ministers for Lib Dems and Conservative respectively arrived, but no one from the Government! Both MP’s spoke strongly and cogently against the RSS. In fact Nick Herbert went on to say that even if the RSS became law, the Conservatives would develop a new law, which would allow a revisit of the RSS regime once they regain power.

 Unfortunately the current administration is scheduled to make a judgement on the RSS this June and therefore before any General Election. However, there may be the option of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Councils taking their arguments to the law courts, which might delay any actual laws long enough to bridge the gap to a change of government.

 Martin suggested that it was public uprising that was the reason why the RSS is still not yet finalised in the South of the country (initially scheduled for September 2008). With over 60,000 responses in the south alone, it has clearly rocked the government’s complacence.

 So, if you have responded in the past, it is thanks to you, and other like-minded individuals that have made the difference so far. Thanks.

 Save the Countryside is now part of a South West Alliance of at least 12 – 15 like minded groups. The main focus is to stop the snatching of the Green Belt and to ask the government to reconsider the volumes they think are needed. We are set to continue to grow, but once again it will be individuals like you who matter.

If you care, keep sending emails to the address below and let us know that you want to keep your greenbelt and the character of your local area.

Helen Wells

chair@savethecountryside.org.uk

 

We’re on You Tube

Well ok, not actually Save The Countryside, but our fellow campaigners on the south side of Bristol certainly are. The Dundry-based group DRAG also known as Save Our Green Spaces has created a video of professional quality. The camera sweeps across glorious downland pasture to the strains of Elgar’s Enigma Variations, and then to the harsh reality of the latest estate being built on what was previously Green Belt. Its quite long at nine minutes, but worth staying to the end. Enjoy!

 

Who put up the new Brown Signs?

Brown Sign on Tewkesbury Road

It seems someone in the Council supports our cause more than we know! How else can we explain these mystery brown signs? They look like the genuine article, produced perhaps in the genuine brown sign work shop – yet the wording is distinctly unofficial. Look out for them as you head out on the Tewkesbury Road just after Sainsbury’s – they are on the right hand side, so actually quite easy to miss. There are three or four others – see if you can spot them. If anyone sees anything similar please send details to info@savethecountryside.org.uk

PS. Remember to put 24th April in your diary – come to the Municipal Offices at 6pm and hear the Shadow Ministers, and also 17th May for the 2nd annual protest walk from Swindon Village to Elmstone Hardwicke starting at 2pm.

PPS. Check out the  Science Festival program – on Friday 6th June there is a a debate on “The Value of Land“. Interested? Read on:

Our health and wellbeing, our native plants and animals and our economy all depend on how we choose to use our land. With increasing population pressures and a recession in full swing, how do we balance the needs of housing, agriculture, transport and business without losing our restful green spaces? Urban planner Mark Tewdwr-Jones and Tom Oliver from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England debate the value of land.

Any follower of this website should turn up and pack this debate out with the Save The Countryside agenda.

 

 

Two new diary dates

1. MEETING 24^th APRIL 2009

 

TIME 6.00 – 8.00 P.M.

 

LOCATION CHELTENHAM COUNCIL CHAMBER

THE MUNICPAL OFFICES, THE PROMENADE, CHELTENHAM

 

Aim: to provide a platform for the 3 main parties to outline their position on the RSS Regional Government, and Housing numbers.

 

Specifically to include

Martin Horwood as Lib Dem spokesperson

Labour Party speaker/spokesperson

Conservative party Environment Spokesperson Nick Herbert.

 

The meeting is open to the public and other protest groups along with

County Councillors, borough councillors and town councillors plus prospective candidates.

 

 

 

 

Sunday 17^th May, 2009  2pm

 

SECOND SAVE THE COUNTRYSIDE WALK

Following the success of last year’s walk. We will hold the second circular walk through the fields of the proposed NW Extension.

 

Starting at either Swindon Village (Stantons Drive) or Elmstone Hardwicke (Lowdilow Lane)

 

Dogs, horses, and everyone welcome – refreshments will be available.

(More detail to come)

 

Worcs Lib Dem Petitions to Suspend RSS

West Worcestershire Liberal Democrat campaigner Richard Burt has lodged a petition with the Number 10 website calling for the suspension of the regional housing targets.

The petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to suspend regional housing targets determined through the Regional Spatial Strategy, empowering local councils instead to set their own targets based on local, sustainable housing needs assessments and consultation with local communities.

You can sign it at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SuspendRSS/

 

Minister listens after all

Martin Horwood addresses the campaign in Committee Room 14

 

About 90 people from Gloucestershire congregated at the House of Commons to put pressure on the Government to back down from its deeply flawed Regional Spatial Strategy proposals. The day before we had been told this in a written note from the Minister Iain Wright:

I cannot discuss the content of the RSS or communicate the points raised at our meeting with decision making Ministers about issues raised by regional stakeholders. This is for reasons of fairness and to avoid new issues arising which might necessitate a further round of consultation..

which all seems to fly in the face of democracy. Our party was undeterred however and when a deputation of Gloucester MP’s met the Rt Hon Mr Wright they found him to be very sympathetic. He was impressed both by the strength of feeling and by the force of some of our arguments and while he could not publicly commit to help, the MP’s were pleased to see aides scribbling notes throughout the meeting.

At a debrief to the whole group in Committee Room 14 jointly chaired by Helen Wells and Cheltenham MP Martni Horwood, the mood was upbeat – there was a definite feeling that the messagewas beginning to get through. Some evidence of this can be seen in one of the comments after the meeting by a spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government who said: “The South West is facing long term housing shortages and affordability issues.  It is already the only region with above average house prices and below average incomes. If more homes are not built the housing ladder will get even further out of reach leaving the next generation with nowhere to live.” 

In response to fears about green belt land however, the spokesman continued: “The government has no intention of weakening the protection given to green belt in planning decisions. We believe it is possible to build the homes future generations need whilst protecting the environment and green spaces.”

There were a number of interviews with regional press and television and there was a good write up of the day in the Gloucesrshire Echo here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/7842764.stm 

NEXT STEPS:

This weekend the focus switches to the local dump – why build houses near the toxic waste facility at Stoke Orchard? This Saturday, 31st January, Grundon are putting on a public exhibition about their proposals for 20 more years of operations at Wingmoor Quarry and Wingmoor Farm.
 
If you need transport or do not wish to drive onto Grundon’s site, SWARD are running a minibus shuttle, financed by Bishop’s Cleeve Parish Council.  The minibus will start at 9.30 am and run continuously till the exhibition ends. Simply wait outside Bishop’s Cleeve Community Centre.

We are planning another meeting in February and will publish that date nearer the time – its important we keep up the pressure.

In the meantime, enjoy this coverage on ITV West with star performances from Helen Wells, Barry Simon, and Martin Horwood.

http://www.itvlocal.com/west/news/?player=WST_News_15&void=279869

 

Environment Agency massively under estimates flood risk

As we heard from the Severn and Avon Vally Combined Flood Group last week, the Environment Agency only includes river flooding in its flood risk estimates. Insurers however take a more cautious approach, and while we may not want our premiums to go up, we would all rather have avoided the risk in the first place. New Flood Risk Assessment maps published by Landmark Information include minor rivers and surface water and give an overall figure of 30% for housing at risk from flooding as opposed to the 10% estimated by the Environment Agency. Landmark worked in conjunction with RMS to produce the reports. If homeowners won’t buy houses at risk, maybe developers can be deterred from building on the green belt.

Matthew Grant, global head of client development at RMS, which has been modelling all sources of flood risk since 2001, said: “The 2007 floods provided a stark reminder that major river flooding is just one part of the full flood risk picture, and a much more comprehensive view is needed. “

There may well come a time when Save the Countryside should be commissioning RMS and/or Landmark Information to give us a detailed assessment of our area with its impermeable soils and fast flowing minor rivers.

To find out more read this article from today 20th January on the aboutproperty.co.uk site or the formal press release is available on Landmark’s  Homecheck  site along with some similar articles.

 

Toxic Waste and the Flood Risk should make this decision a no-brainer

Save the Countryside Meeting January 15th 2009 Municipal Offices

More than 40 people attended the meeting last night (15th January) to discuss the issues arising from proposals to build in the Green belt around Cheltenham.
Barbara Farmer from Safety in Waste and Rubbish Disposal (SWARD) outlined the history and issues associated with waste disposal at the Wingmoor Farm site near Bishops Cleeve.
In addition to the smells, flys, rats, noise and 82,000 traffic movements to and from Wingmoorevery year is the much bigger problem of toxic waste disposal. The hazardous waste site deals with ‘disposal’ of dioxins which amount to about 50% of the UKs total toxic waste.
The European Commission in a draft document maintained that there should be a half kilometer distance between non-hazardous waste sites and 2 kilometers distance from hazardous waste sites. This was not turned into law – but the so-called NW urban extension is to be built right up against the tip. Who will buy a house in such a situation?
Dave Wittsand Vernon Smith from the Severn and Avon Valley combined Flood Group outlined the history of flooding in the Severn Vale and the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS). The evidence shows that most SUDS systems don’t work on the Severn Flood Plain because it is covered in impermeable clay and the water cannot soak away. Any building in the area of the NW urban extension will send more water down local streams into the Tewkesbury area and increase the risk of flooding there as happened in July 2007. Their campaign has attracted academic support from Professor Cluckie (Swansea University).
Cllr. Paul Massey, speaking for Cheltenham Council Leader Steve Jordan, indicated that the Regional Spatial Strategy has fallen even further behind and won’t be available until Summer 2009 now, and this will delay production of the Local Development Framework back. There will be a General Election in 2010 at which housing targets imposed on the area can be challenged.
Helen Wells, Chair of ‘Save the Countryside’ urged people to attend the meeting in Parliament on 21st January when Gloucestershire MPs will have an opportunity to meet one of the Ministers, Iain Wright, responsible for the RSS. ‘Save the Countryside’ is running a coach to it.
For further information, leave a comment on this site and we will get in touch.

John Webster

 

Mind our agricultural land!

Agricultural Grades around Tewkesbury Road

The land along the Tewkesbury Road earmarked for develpment by the RSS is ‘very good’ or ‘good’  agricultural land as the attached map clearly shows. Even the pasture which makes up most of the proposed development area is classed as ‘moderate’.  At a time when news stories like this continue to argue imminent food shortages, why are we planning to build over these precious food sources?

 

I want one of those!

Cut an activist dash in one of out T-Shirts!

There is going to be plenty of opportunity in the New Year to stand up and be counted as an opponent of greenbelt development and Urban Sprawl. Our committee have been cutting quite a dash in their ‘Save the Countryside’ T-shirts. Now we are putting in an order for a whole lot more. If you would like one, please leave a comment (with your email in the hidden email field) on the site stating size (XL, L, or M) and we’ll get you one.

 

Tories publish opposition to RSS

Save the Countryside is a non-political organisation, we just want to stop the urban sprawl that will result if the RSS gets the rubber stamp. To do this we need to persuade politicians of all colours to see the strength of our arguments. Well it looks as if campaigning groups like ours have hit a chord with the Conservatives, as can be seen from this excerpt from a statement from Eric Pickles, Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government:

Conservatives have pledged to scrap regional planning and the unelected regional assemblies.

“A Conservative Government will abolish the undemocratic and unwieldy tier of regional planning across England. This will include changing the law to scrap the Regional Spatial Strategies and Regional Planning Bodies (currently the regional assemblies, soon to be RDAs). We will return their powers to elected local councils.
As a logical consequence of scrapping the regional plans, if the RSSs have already been implemented, we will allow councils to revise their local plans (‘Local Development Frameworks’) to undo the changes that the Regional Spatial Strategy forced on them. This will allow local communities to protect their local environment, and decide themselves the most appropriate level of development for their area.”

Fine words – its a forlorn hope that Labout will U-turn on this policy to nullify this vote-catcher, but hopefully it will make them consider the detail more carefully. For example, Margeret Beckett in the Commons this week was put on the spot about the principle of consecutive development which was cut from the final draft of the South West RSS – she responded:

(On the issue of brownfield development..) “this is one of the many targets that others said we could not possibly meet but we have met; in fact, we have exceeded the targets on building on brownfield. I understand his concerns, and I feel sure that all Members will agree with him that we should do this, rather than, as the hon. Member for Esher and Walton (Mr. Taylor) mentioned, go for greenfield development. (Hansard: 18 Nov 2008 : Column 113)”

We just need to keep the pressure up.

 

We have won the argument!

This may seem like a rash and brash statement to make but it comes in the light of a written answer to a question submitted in the Commons last week.

Question: What assumptions about annual economic growth rate were made in compiling the housing numbers for South West in the RSS?

Answer: 3.2%

We say: Not flipping likely! These levels of growth are just not going to happen, unless  we go back to piling up huge amounts of unsustainable debt, and starting from where we are now, that just isn’t going to happen. if that figure is then agreed to be wildly overstated, then it follows that population and therefore housing predictions are also wildly overstated. Result? The housing component of the RSS is a busted flush and it has to be back to the drawing board.

 

We went to Westminster

Chair Helen Wells catches the photographers eye at Downing Street

Representatives of the Save The Countryside Campaign went to Westminster last week to hand in our petitions, both electronic (well, evidence of) and paper.

We met with the press and a shadow politician first of all outside the houses of Parliament; we handed in a total of 4208 petition signatures from Save the countryside to Hazel Blears’ team at the communities and local government office,  and we handed in our letter at the gates of Downing Street.

 

It was good to get the attention of the press and the politicians, and we have had excellent news since confirming that the 4000 plus signatures on our petition will count as objecting comments against the RSS.

About to be interviewed by the press at Westminster

 

Last Day to Post Response to RSS

TODAY is the day to post your Comments on the RSS - or email tomorrow

Well I got mine in ok – sent it by email. The Save The Countryside Group has posted over 200 responses, which is brilliant – thanks to Anne, Kit, Tim and all who worked so hard to make that happen. I sent mine by email in case there is a major problem with the mail (or was I just too lazy to find a stamp and walk to the post box!). Martin Horwood’s response in his official capacity as MP of Cheltenham is excellent. He has actually read the whole document so makes the right references to the right paragraphs. He includes almost everything we had planned to say plus a whole lot more – if you would like a copy for inspiration – comment below and we can send it over. Finally, remember you can still do it tonight or even tomorrow if you email it. Use the official form (see previous post) and email to ‘rssconsult@gosw.gsi.gov.uk’

 

One Week to Go

RSS Comments Form - download yours and fill in today!

You only have one week left to get your comments on the RSS into the system. They must be received by Friday 24th at 5pm so best to do it this weekend and get them posted Monday morning. Advice from our local government expert is: you don’t have to read the whole document and comment in detailed scientific terms – if you use the correct form they have to read your comments and the important thing is to register dissent. Alhough in theory we can only comment on the latest changes, do not hesitate to attack the whole process, the initial assumptions of numbers of housing required, the loss of the principle of sequential development (brown land first), and the loss of greenbelt. Plus anything else you feel strongly about.

To down load a copy of the form click here and then down load the document entitled ‘Response Form.doc’ whihc is the only Word document on the page.

 

NEWSFLASH – Exeter Bus Places Available

Exter Cathedral Close

Message from Anne Griffiths:

Hi everyone,
I have been to Tewkesbury Flood Group Meeting tonight.
They have booked a coach to go to Exeter on Friday.
There are plenty of seats left.
The cost is £5.00
The coach will leave The Crescent at Tewkesbury at 8.00 a.m.

 

Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Unite Against RSS

MPs and Campaigners Rally at Swindon Village 27th Sept 2008

MORE than 100 countryside campaigners, residents, councillors and MPs rallied in Swindon Village to protest against plans for thousands of homes on the greenbelt.

There were cheers and claps from the Seasons Business and Leisure Complex, in Quat Goose Lane, as politicians called for townspeople to lobby against Government proposals to build 8,100 homes around Cheltenham, including 5,000 on the edge of Swindon Village, as part of the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy.

The meeting was led by protest group Save the Countryside, with speeches from Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood and Tewkesbury MP Laurence Robertson, who gave advice on action to take.

There were calls for revolt as residents heard the Government had failed to take into account space already within the town, flooding concerns following last year’s crisis, or the need for new infrastructure including roads and schools to support the area of new housing.

Concerns were also voiced about the short amount of time taken by Government inspectors to assess Cheltenham for housing

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Helen Wells, chairman of Save the Countryside, told the crowds: “We’re here to make the maximum impact for our cause.

“The Government wants to massively increase the size of our beautiful town by 26 per cent and we’re not having it.

“Let’s all be clear, it’s our last chance to save our beautiful countryside.

“We have nationwide support and have come a long way since our inception seven months ago. It’s up to us to make our mark.”

Tewkesbury MP Laurence Robertson added: “We are all concerned about this issue.

“We have experienced problems with flooding and further development is only going to make this worse.

“The Government is not listening to us and it’s important to campaign and fight this.

“Once thousands of houses are built in the wrong place it’s too late and we’ll have to live with our mistakes.”

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood called for public protests in London against the plans.

He said: “We cannot be bullied with accusations of being nimbys.

“We need a test that makes sure space in urban areas is used first and this should be part of the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy.

“That will help us to defend the countryside.

“Laurence and I also need to get together with MPs in the south west and go to London with bus loads of people behind us to make the Government listen.

“If we turn up the political heat, then just maybe we might become a success story.”

Mike Griffiths travelled from Elmstone Hardwick for the meeting.

He said: “This is not just a campaign by people from Swindon Village, but by the people of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury.

“Residents from both towns have joined together to present a stronger case against these plans.”

The public have until October 24 to make their views known on the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy through a consultation process.

■ Have your say by emailing rssconsult@gosw.gsi.gov.uk.

 

Consultation exhibition by Bloor and Persimmon homes on North West Cheltenham plans

So here it comes! A outline planning application for this huge development is imminent, expected before Christmas. On Thursday 19th November to Saturday 21th November we were shown some plans as part of a public consultation process. The plans really shocked a lot of people regarding how huge this development of 4500+ houses was going to be. The timescales for development were over 20 years, with phase 1 being alongside Tewkesbury Road and with building starting within 2-3 years.
Unfortunately Simon Hoare(your contact for the consultation at shoare@communityconnect.co.uk) cannot supply an electronic version of the leaflet. You can get some idea from the photos of the display boards (thanks Tim). Save the Countryside volunteers attended throughout the consultation (thanks to Kit who did a huge amount). 83% of those polled were opposed to the development. My feeling was that there were some positives, but that as a whole the proposal was shot full of holes and very aspirational. It was extremely hard to find evidence to support those aspirations. All wider affects on the surrounding area seemed to be ignored

Over the three days many people attending and much discussion and disagreement was had, on issues such as

• This is GREENBELT land. It SHOULD be preserved to stop coalescence of towns, provide recreation space, space for wildlife and preserve the historical context of the town

• Traffic problems. No new major roads were proposed. Of course we don’t want them either! Tewkesbury Road wide probably be made dual carriageway. A park and ride scheme is proposed. This area already gets extremely congested at peak times.

• Access. seems to be proposed into Elmstone Hardwicke, on to tiny country lanes! All other access would be directly onto Tewkesburyroad.

• Drainage. Anne raised the issue of who would maintain the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs). These would fall the local authority ownership I believe. Could be rely on them being well maintained?

• Allotment. These are right next to the landfill site. Would you want to grow food there? with plastic bags blown over from the tip, possible contamination, noise from vehicles. Also its right out on a limb at the far side of a huge development. This doesn’t encourage walking and cycling.

School location. Again this is right on the edge. A school should be central to the development if you want children to walk rather than be driven.

Please add your comments on what you discovered.

 

The Joint Core Strategy

YOUR TOWN, YOUR COUNTRYSIDE, YOU CHOOSE

A draft JOINT CORE STRATEGY (JCS) is to be prepared by Gloucester City, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Councils. It will decide our area’s planning future up until 2026. The draft has, by law, to be based on the draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy (SWRSS) even though all three Councils object to many of its policies, particularly unjustified urban extensions and incursions into the Green Belt.

An initial Public Participation Document has been produced that identifies the key issues that need to be resolved before the strategy can be produced. The consulation started on Monday 23rd November for 10 weeks.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE WORK TOGETHER

If we can choose and agree the best options for our area and if we can encourage a massive unified community response, the Councils will have a public mandate to resist Central Government dictat.

WE NEED EVERYONE TO RESPOND

The full “JCS Initial Public Participation Document” together with a comments form is now available online, or you will be able to order a hard copy by phone.

online: www.consult.gct-jcs.org Tel: 0800 073 1441

Responses can be submitted by e-mail or by post.

e-mail: info@gct-jcs.org
Address: Joint Core Strategy Team, Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham, GL 50 9SA

For further details of the event and a single-page summary of the key issues contact Alice:
e-mail: alice.ross@btinternet.com
Tel. 01242 529793

EVENT ORGANISED BY SAVE THE COUNTRYSIDE (www.savethecountryside.org.uk)
AFFILIATED TO SAVE OUR GREEN SPACES (www.saveourgreenspaces.org)

SUPPORTED BY LEGLAG (Leckhampton Green Land Action Group) (www.leglag.org.uk)

CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) (www.cpre.co.uk)

 

Joint Core Strategy Newsletter 2 – Available here!

The second newsletter of the Joint Core Strategy for Cheltenham Gloucester and Tewkesbury can be seen below. it has all the dates and contact details so you can keep up to date with what is happening.

jcs_newsletter_2__1112082

 

Gloucester County Council Slams RSS

 

Gloucestershire County Council, whose web site still features a special section on flooding, is making it clear that it plans to object strongly to the Regional Spatial Strategy, with the main criticisms being around lack of consideration for flood risk and instrastructure planning.

Cabinet member for Environment, Councillor Julie Girling said: “The whole thing is not very well thought-out – in the Government’s terms it ‘lacks soundness’.  “We intend to make our views very clear on this. I’d like to reassure councillors and members of the public that we’ll be reflecting their views in doing so.”

The council is objecting over increased flood fears thousands of new homes would pose to the county and the lack of a flood-risk assessment in the RSS. It also says there is a lack of planning for new infrastructure – roads, schools, medical services – to support the area of new housing.

These are fears shared by us in North West Cheltenham, where the loss of vast tracts of pasture land to housing will mean the replacement of acres of natural water-absorbing meadows. Have a look at these photos to see what we mean. The run-off will surge into the Swilgate which flows north to join the Avon and Severn at Tewkesbury. The result will surely mean more flooding – Councillor Girling is right – this is not well thought-out at all.

 

Don’t Let The Diggers In! Public Meeting: Sat, 27 Sep

Your personal responses to the Westminster driven ‘RSS’ proposed building plans to build 5,000 dwellings on our Greenbelt must be registered by mid October. This is your last opportunity to officially file your complaint about the absurd plans.

TOGETHER WE REALLY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

We have identified some ‘hot’ subjects for you to make a brief comment about:

Flood risk;
Desecration of our countryside;
houses not required;
Urban sprawl;
20 year building site;
massive traffic congestion;
extra pollution;
proximity of houses to Wigmore Farm;
Loss of wildlife;
massive reduction of property prices in local areas; etc

To find out how to comment go to comment on the RSS.

If you haven’t signed the e-petition yet, please do so and please forward onto anyone you know – we need to ramp up the signatures to at least 3,000 to make as much impact as we can: www.savethecountryside.org.uk

Once again to show solidarity to the various media that have shown interest, and to register a unified resistance, we will be gathering on:

Saturday, 27th September, 3pm

at

“Seasons”, Quat Goose Lane, Swindon Village

Our Local MPs who are against the RSS, will be there to share with us what they are doing for our cause.

I know most of you who have attended meetings/walks previously have enjoyed the community spirit. If you have not been before, please come and meet us

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Don’t let the diggers in!

 

Housebuilders ‘jeopardising green targets’

Michael Donnelly, PlanningResource, 27 August 2008

A report has warned that housebuilders are jeopardising the UK’s green agenda by cutting green technologies to cut costs.

Window supplier VELUX says the slowdown in the UK property market is posing a serious threat to the UK’s zero-carbon targets and hindering further development of eco technologies.

VELUX says that many housebuilders are being forced to cut costs and as a result, eco technologies are one of the first things go.

Kevin Brennan, head of sustainability, VELUX, said: “While cutting back on the use of eco technologies might provide a short term solution to reducing costs, it is a short sighted view and makes a mockery of the government’s zero carbon target.

“Understandably in the current climate, certain developers will be looking to cut costs, but ignoring the benefits of incorporating eco technologies could have disastrous, long-term consequences.

“If simple eco technologies such as solar thermal became integrated into all new homes, the reduction in the UK’s carbon emissions would be considerable. Further still, the unit cost to manufacture these technologies would fall, making such technologies more affordable and more accessible for all concerned.”

 

Commenting on the RSS

The Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West is currently open for consultation (in fact only the changes is to it) until 5pm, 24th October.

You can view the full documents here

The RSS is a document written by the South West Regional Government (incorporating changes from Hazel Blears) which determines the housing targets for the next 18 years. This document proposed building the NW urban extension, as well as other urban extensions, it proposes building on greenbelt land. We need as many people as possible to comment on the RSS and make your views heard. However, the RSS is a large document, 304 pages for the version with tracked changes.

In theory you can only comment on the changes. This can be done by filling in the rss-comments-form and sending it off to the address below.

An easier solution is to write stating the issues in the RSS you feel strongly about, we have provided a rss-comments-public-letter-template template letter which we urge you to adjust, expand on and send to:

Regional Spatial Strategy Team
Government Office for the South West
2 Rivergate, Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6EH

or

email: rssconsult@gosw.gsi.gov.uk

Some extracts from the RSS

Our main issue is that we believe the housing targets are too high, and that this scale of development is not needed.

District housing totals (within administrative boundaries) RSS
Cheltenham 8,100
Gloucester 11,500
Tewkesbury 14,600
Cotswold 9,100
Forest of Dean 6,900
Stroud 6,200

For Cheltenham, this is broken down as follows: 6,500 within the built up urban area, 5,000 within an urban extension at north west Cheltenham, 1,300 within an urban extension at south Cheltenham and 1,000 north of Bishops Cleeve.

Secondly we object to where the housing are proposed to be built.

Here is a map showing where development is proposed around Cheltenham. The RSS contains, I believe, some very dishonest use of language relating to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Greenbelt. I quote:

“The General Extent of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Greenbelt will be maintained subject to the following alterations

removal of the greenbelt to accomodate urban extensions at Areas of Search 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F and 3G”

Note that only a single area of search (development) in and around the Cheltenham area (that within Cheltenham itself) does NOT require removal of the Greenbelt.

Flooding

I quote from page 84 of the RSS.

“4.1.33. The north west of Cheltenham provides considerable potential to extend the town in an area not subject to flood risk and other environmental constraints”

If you live in this area you may know that the River Swillgate, River Chelt and Hyde Brook all flooded in July 2007 across the area of proposed development.

Protection of Wildlife and the Environment

Heres what the RSS says about this, I quote from page 88,

“Cheltenham will improve its economic performance and realise its economic potential, while safeguarding the integrity of environmental and habitat designations”

but this seems not to preclude building over large areas of green fields, spoiling the environment and habitat for deer, badgers, foxes, barn owls, bats and birds of prey.

Sustainability

The word “sustainability” is thoughout the RSS, the definition given in the RSS is this “The simple idea of ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. A widely used international definition is development which meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Here an extract which demonstrates that further development is not sustainable, and that we are far from being sustainable at present, page 22

“There is a tension which the RSS must help resolve between further population and economic growth and the imperative to reduce resource consumption and, most importantly, the decoupling of growth and CO2 emissions. Consumption of natural resources or ‘ecological footprint’ has a global impact. Growing demands for built development, infrastructure, food, fresh water, natural materials and energy, seriously risk the erosion of environmental quality and the life systems on which we all depend. The South West’s ecological footprint is unsustainable as it stands. If everyone on the planet consumed such a quantity of natural resources and energy as an average South West resident, three planets would be needed to support life on Earth. Consequently, a shift is needed towards ‘one planet’, lower consumption, with lifestyles which are more resource efficient. This should include a move towards use of locally produced, replaceable natural resources, more efficient usage of energy, better waste re-use/recycling, and more efficient use of scarce natural resources such as minerals. “

I’m not sure how the RSS helps to resolve this conflict at all as it proposes economic growth as usual. In fact, at 3.2% per annum which is quote ambitious, considering that the economy showed no grown at all for the last quarter up to August 2008. However, to be fair some mention is made of using renewable energy, and by 2016 all new homes will be required to be carbon neutral, as least in their day-to-day running, not in their construction.

Food

Food production is strongly related to sustainability. It is mentioned a few times. Here, on page 200

“7.3.17 Best and Most Versatile (BMV) land needs to be taken into account alongside other sustainability considerations when deciding between sites. The BMV agricultural soils need
to be protected from development because these are the most flexible in terms of the range of crops or produce that can be grown, and therefore the most valuable for current and future
agricultural production. Given changes to Common Agricultural Policies (CAP) and the fact that this is driving businesses to become more economically efficient, it is important that the
best land is protected, for possible future agricultural needs. In some circumstances, BMV land may be subject to development pressures, particularly in areas identified for growth in
Sections 3 and 4.”

I can’t really comment on whether the land around Cheltenham is classified as “Best and Most Versatile” land, but crops are grown on it. I do know that the Swindon Village allotment site which was proposed to build on-top off in the original planning documents grows a huge quantity of produce, so there doesn’t seem to be much wrong with this land to me. The RSS states that less land will be used for food production, is this sensible, or likely given the current food price crisis, heres what it says on page 201

“7.3.16 In future, as changes to agricultural policy and industry take shape, less land is likely to be used primarily for food production. More is likely to be used for crops for industry
and energy, or managed mainly for conservation, recreation or community benefits. In this period of transition the Draft RSS seeks to guide change towards the most sustainable land management options which will support the rural economy and wider objectives. “

Thats about all I can help you with now. The important thing is to make you views heard and object the large amount of unsustainable and damaging development proposed in the RSS.

Thank you.