21 April, 2009
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!
4 April, 2009
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.
21 February, 2009
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/
27 January, 2009
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
16 December, 2008
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?
1 November, 2008
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.
17 October, 2008
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.
7 October, 2008
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.
4 October, 2008
MPs and Campaigners Rally at Swindon Village 27th Sept 2008
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
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.
4 October, 2008
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.
