Village green plan to thwart Kevin’s grand design (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Village green plan to thwart Kevin’s grand design
6:30am Thursday 26th March 2009 in News
Frank White, Josie Lewis and Elsie Halliday who want land earmarked for development to be designated as a village green. Below, Kevin McCloud with a m
LAND earmarked for a £19m eco-development could instead be snapped up by local residents determined to derail the scheme.
Residents living near Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud’s Pickard’s Small Field site, in Gorse Hill, are hoping to have part of the land designated as a village green.
They are angry that the development could increase traffic, create noise and disturbance and scare away wildlife.
They are also concerned that local children will be forced to play in the road if the land is built on by developers.
The debate centres around a plot of land known as Kembrey Grass, which backs on to houses in Tiverton Road.
Residents are opposed to a planned development of 200 homes on the site and nearby Pickard’s Small Field, which is currently being negotiated between Swindon Council and Mr McCloud’s company – HaB Housing.
Now residents are calling for an independent hearing of their application, because they believe there is a conflict of interest for the council.
Campaigner Josie Lewis is angry that the council has not allowed more scrutiny on the matter.
She said: “Every time this comes up at council meetings the press and public are excluded. We want to push for an independent hearing on this so that it is all out in the open.
“We think that our application has a good chance because under a little-known by-law you only have to prove that the community has been using the land for 20 years. We have been using it for more than 50 years.
“It’s a nice space for children to play without their parents worrying about them. There is all sorts of wildlife that use this area – I’ve seen deer, foxes, squirrels and all sorts.”
Frank White, another resident opposed to the scheme, said: “People move here because it’s peaceful, because you can feel you’re out of the town even though you’re just by Cricklade Road.
“But that will all change if they get their way – the traffic is going to be horrendous, no matter what they say.
“Cricklade Road is already a nightmare. Plus, where are the children going to play if they take away that land? They are going to have to play in the street.”
A spokesman for Swindon Council said: “We have received the application and we will be considering it.”
Mixed reaction to project
RUMOURS that Kevin McCloud had grand designs on Swindon have been circulating for more than two years.
In 2007 the TV presenter announced that he had chosen Swindon for his first foray into house building.
His company, HaB Housing – which stands for Happiness, Architecture, Beauty – announced the aim of creating sustainable communities with environmentally-friendly housing.
Since then reaction to the development has been mixed, with some welcoming the addition of more sustainable housing in Swindon, but others concerned about issues such as access and the removal of allotments to make way for the houses.
In August Mr McCloud was forced to respond to suggestions the project was in tatters after a new firm of architects were recruited and he reiterated his company’s commitment to Swindon.
Developments have been thin on the ground since then, but the Advertiser understands that an announcement about the future of the project could be made soon.
Comments(8)
jimmys lovechild
says...
9:12am Thu 26 Mar 09
Always Grumpy wrote:Bang on with your comment. They come up with all thse reasons ,but at the end of the day it is just personnel preference that is their objection.
Usual NIMBY reaction and a certain amount of mischief making by these residents. There are plenty of green areas adjacent to the new development that will be left untouched
I'm sure that well travelled Swindon resident the "Great crested newt " will soon be arriving to help scupper any plans
Grimly Feendish
says...
1:59pm Thu 26 Mar 09
LOL!!!
Bolshy_bird
says...
3:26pm Thu 26 Mar 09
jimmys lovechild wrote:I think you need to know the facts before you start bashing the residents on this one.
Always Grumpy wrote: Usual NIMBY reaction and a certain amount of mischief making by these residents. There are plenty of green areas adjacent to the new development that will be left untouchedBang on with your comment. They come up with all thse reasons ,but at the end of the day it is just personnel preference that is their objection. I'm sure that well travelled Swindon resident the "Great crested newt " will soon be arriving to help scupper any plans
1. Kevin McCloud wants to build 100+ ECO homes on ALLOTMENT land. - call me strange but wouldn't it just be better to leave the land untouched and therefore ECO friendly...
2. The council stated that this land was under used, but actually evicted allotment holders onto a more open site that has been plagued by recent vandalism.
3. The land they want to build the access road on is the flood plain for the river ray which runs adjacent to it. I myself took photo's of this flooded land in the torrential rain we had in 2007 and gave these to our Local MP.. nothing more has been done about it other than a letter stating the environmental agencies are taking it into account.... read we're doing this regardless and we don't care if you're homes get flooded the next time.
SBC are steam-rollering this through and comments given by residents at the meetings have all been twisted to make it sound like we're pro-development.
Always Grumpy
says...
4:59pm Thu 26 Mar 09
Bolshy_bird wrote:The key thing about facts is getting them right.
jimmys lovechild wrote:I think you need to know the facts before you start bashing the residents on this one.
Always Grumpy wrote: Usual NIMBY reaction and a certain amount of mischief making by these residents. There are plenty of green areas adjacent to the new development that will be left untouchedBang on with your comment. They come up with all thse reasons ,but at the end of the day it is just personnel preference that is their objection. I'm sure that well travelled Swindon resident the "Great crested newt " will soon be arriving to help scupper any plans
1. Kevin McCloud wants to build 100+ ECO homes on ALLOTMENT land. - call me strange but wouldn't it just be better to leave the land untouched and therefore ECO friendly...
2. The council stated that this land was under used, but actually evicted allotment holders onto a more open site that has been plagued by recent vandalism.
3. The land they want to build the access road on is the flood plain for the river ray which runs adjacent to it. I myself took photo's of this flooded land in the torrential rain we had in 2007 and gave these to our Local MP.. nothing more has been done about it other than a letter stating the environmental agencies are taking it into account.... read we're doing this regardless and we don't care if you're homes get flooded the next time.
SBC are steam-rollering this through and comments given by residents at the meetings have all been twisted to make it sound like we're pro-development.
First of all it's not the River Ray, it's an unnamed tributary of the River Ray.
Secondly, the local residents arguments about 'playing in the road', are misleading to say the least. The dedicated open spaces between Pinehurst Road and Cricklade Road adjacent to May Close are not going to be touched, so plenty of playing space there.
So, my initial comments stand - NIMBY's, nothing more or less.
RFM
says...
5:13pm Thu 26 Mar 09
What a ridiculous statement!
Should the parents of these children not take some responsibility for them? How about taking them to a local park rather than allow them to play in the road?
Bolshy_bird
says...
6:16pm Thu 26 Mar 09
Always Grumpy wrote:Okay, we’ve all noticed that you're very observant Grumpy; take pity on a poor gal who was in a hurry and missed out the word Tributary. But hey, that's actually besides the point isn't it, the field floods ... full stop. It becomes a quagmire every year during heavy rain and in 2007 flooded to the point where it came over the tops of my Wellies.
Bolshy_bird wrote:The key thing about facts is getting them right. First of all it's not the River Ray, it's an unnamed tributary of the River Ray. Secondly, the local residents arguments about 'playing in the road', are misleading to say the least. The dedicated open spaces between Pinehurst Road and Cricklade Road adjacent to May Close are not going to be touched, so plenty of playing space there. So, my initial comments stand - NIMBY's, nothing more or less.jimmys lovechild wrote:I think you need to know the facts before you start bashing the residents on this one. 1. Kevin McCloud wants to build 100+ ECO homes on ALLOTMENT land. - call me strange but wouldn't it just be better to leave the land untouched and therefore ECO friendly... 2. The council stated that this land was under used, but actually evicted allotment holders onto a more open site that has been plagued by recent vandalism. 3. The land they want to build the access road on is the flood plain for the river ray which runs adjacent to it. I myself took photo's of this flooded land in the torrential rain we had in 2007 and gave these to our Local MP.. nothing more has been done about it other than a letter stating the environmental agencies are taking it into account.... read we're doing this regardless and we don't care if you're homes get flooded the next time. SBC are steam-rollering this through and comments given by residents at the meetings have all been twisted to make it sound like we're pro-development.Always Grumpy wrote: Usual NIMBY reaction and a certain amount of mischief making by these residents. There are plenty of green areas adjacent to the new development that will be left untouchedBang on with your comment. They come up with all thse reasons ,but at the end of the day it is just personnel preference that is their objection. I'm sure that well travelled Swindon resident the "Great crested newt " will soon be arriving to help scupper any plans
And as for your second comment... I hadn’t made reference to the 'playing in the road', but if you want to be pedantic then the field they want to build on is overlooked by houses, the other fields between May close and Pinehurst road are enclosed by trees which makes it difficult for parents to keep an eye on their kids.
I grew up in the area that is going to be directly affected by this development and spent many a weekend playing in the field that is to become the access road and no, I’m not a pensioner taking a walk down memory lane, I’m in my 30’s so yes, the field has been in use within the last 20 years.
A community meeting was supposed to be scheduled in October 08 to show the local residents the revised plans that were to be submitted to the planning department; the meeting was ‘postponed’ (cancelled) and no subsequent meetings have been scheduled.
weh8oxford
says...
2:25pm Fri 27 Mar 09
Always Grumpy says...
7:30am Thu 26 Mar 09