Call to arms for residents over greenbelt plans
Three busloads of campaigners will head to London to voice their opposition to thousands of new homes planned for Gloucestershire.
Protestor Alice Ross from Charlton Kings is urging people to oppose the Government's Regional Spatial Strategy.
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The plan would see 56,000 houses built in the county in the next 20 years, including many on greenbelt land.
Mrs Ross has been fighting plans to build homes on an area of outstanding natural beauty near Charlton Kings for 18 months.
She expects more than 100 people will travel to Westminster on January 21 to show their strength of feeling.
She said: "We're worried about the sheer number of houses, and especially the ones going on greenbelt. Also, the land chosen is the sort of land that floods when it rains."
Mrs Ross wants Gloucestershire to be able to make its own decisions about where and when houses are built, rather than have instructions handed down from on high.
She said: "We want to support the MPs in their meeting, hear the response that they get and show there is real interest in what's going on and worry about what the Government is up to," she said.
Campaigners and Gloucestershire MPs are furious with Whitehall's response to a petition on the 10, Downing Street website protesting against plans to build hundreds of houses in Leckhampton.
Cheltenham Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood, Conservative MP for Tewkesbury Laurence Robertson and David Drew and Parmjit Dhanda, Labour MPs for Stroud and Gloucester, will meet Local Government Minister Iain Wright on January 21.
Afterwards, Mr Horwood and Mr Robertson will speak at a Westminster public meeting.
There is room for 150 people to attend the meeting in Committee Room 14 at 10.30am.
Mrs Ross hopes as many county residents as possible will make the effort to go.
A retired landscape architect, she says she believes three buses can be sent from Gloucestershire. One is due to go from Cheltenham and Mrs Ross says it is possible for them to leave from other parts of the county if there is widespread interest.
To book a place on the coach, which will cost £10 per person, contact Mrs Ross on alice.ross@btinternet.com or call her on 01242 529 793.
4 Comments
by Grandma, cheltenham
Friday, July 03 2009, 9:06AM
“Well said Logical Thinker - so what is Tewkesbury Council thinking when they want to demolish my little 'annexe home' and make me homeless. It cannot be seen by anyone unless they come way round the back of the house and I overlook no one am nearly 80 so what chance will I have of getting a new home near my family to give me the help I need?”
by LOGICAL THINKER., SHURDINGTON
Friday, May 29 2009, 12:23PM
“Make ALL unoccupied houses habitable before you start to take over greenbelt land, -- this makes sense in this unstable financial climate, -- preserve money where you can!!!!”
by Hessen Von Lietner, Oxford
Thursday, January 08 2009, 5:50PM
“Hurrah for houses- Cheltenham needs at least another 20,000 affordable homes. I applaud the romance behind the aim of this romantic bunch in trying to stop the wheels of progress, but the area cannot forever dwell in 1950's demographics. Far better they save the cash required for their trip toLondon, and spend it within the local economy. Anyone with an iota of commonsense knows that housebuilding is healthy for all- both short and longterm, and will create fresh employment opportunities as yet unseen- thus aiding the local economy. The only saving grace this happy band have in their favour is Bottler Brown's spectacular fiscal disaster. Owing to that, few house builders are in the right financial position at this time to further expand.. but expansion has to happen.”
by Sue, Cheltenham
Thursday, January 08 2009, 11:38AM
“Unfortunately it isn't possible for me to go to this meeting. I do however wish everyone all the luck in the world; I fear that it will be needed as I think the decisions have already been made by a government which refuses to admit that they are wrong. I feel that it is up to these authorities to give a very detailed explanation justifiying these figures. With there being a declining demographic (ie schools being closed due to lack of pupils) and so many people from other countries now deciding to leave, how can there be a need for so many houses? Solid facts are needed, not figures plucked out of the air.”