5 Sept 2011

Well done Wades Farm campaign

Well done indeed to the Wades Farm campaign for protecting the Slad Valley but also raising the wider concerns re changes to the legislation around planning. They have been featured on Newsnight on BBC2 on Thursday 1st September - well worth a look. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b0148sqm/

The BBC made an excellent case for the Slad Valley which was then used to challenge the Planning Minister Greg Clark over the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Last night Simon Arundel contributed to the Today program on Radio 4. Listen at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/how_to_listen_to_today/default.stm

John Humphreys challenged Greg Clark who in both interviews has assured viewers and listeners that the Slad Valley AONB is not about to be built on and will continue to be a protected area. However campaigners do not suppose that Barratts will cease their assualt. They can appeal within six months of the local decision which was taken three weeks or so ago or lodge a fresh application aimed at reducing the issues they need to fight at appeal.

The campaign has also been highlighted in the Sunday Times (Homes supplement) two weeks ago and references in the Observer. The National Trust have a petition which I have already signed. It urges the government to give our precious countryside stronger protection than the draft NPPF provides.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-planning-landing.htm

1 comment:

Philip said...

See Monbiot on new planning laws:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/05/george-osborne-motorway-sustainable-development

"The government's attack on planning is likely to deliver the worst of both worlds: trashing the environment while trashing the economy."