Your green belt land could be next target (From Swindon Advertiser)

Your green belt land could be next target

5:27pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Letters

It is impossible to overstate the dangers inherent in the Government’s alarming new attitude to development. Far from protecting the environment as they promised us, they are now allowing builders like Taylor Wimpey carte blanche to build anywhere they like.

There are a million homes lying empty in the country and enough brownfield site development potential for a further 1.5million to be built, so why are they allowing our precious green belt land to be developed?

A Government appointed inspector recently overturned the decision of Swindon’s planning committee to refuse Taylor Wimpey permission to build on land at Pentylands, Highworth. Despite our elected borough and town councils, and more than 1,200 local residents opposing the scheme, one man made a decision that will adversely affect a whole community.

This is an insult to the entire democratic process and an indication of how powerful the building lobby has become.

Pentylands was not on the local development plan, it was designated green belt land yet Taylor Wimpey’s influence is such they now have permission to build. The message is clear and the precedent set. All a builder needs to do to build on land now is to own it.

This has massive implications for us all so please contact our MP Justin Tomlinson and our Council leader Rod Bluh, to ask them to fight this grotesque decision via a legal challenge and any other means at their disposal. It was Highworth this time, next time it could be your town.

Chris Birdsall Highworth Swindon

Fight decision

Rodney Norris’s letter (SA, February 6) warns of the risks to Swindon’s rural setting and its surrounding towns and villages.

Residents in the borough should be aware that that this is no longer just a threat, but is already happening. A recent decision by a government inspector has given the green light for Taylor Wimpey to build on two fields near Highworth at Pentylands.

These fields were not even on the planning radar, not part of the local plan. The developer’s application was rejected by the Town Council, and by Swindon Borough Council. Previous applications for the site had been rejected by the Secretary of State and the High Court. Taylor Wimpey used their massive legal firepower at the inquiry to defeat Swindon’s defence of these fields.

The new planning legislation has been drawn up by a Government Advisory Committee of four, three of whom have close connections with the building lobby, including the planning director of Taylor Wimpey.

Taylor Wimpey have not only run a coach and horses through Swindon’s development plans but, more importantly, through democracy itself.

Justin Tomlinson MP has been very supportive of our campaign, but seems defenceless in the face of the influence of the building industry over this Government.

Swindon should mount a legal challenge to this decision in the High Court. If you value Swindon’s rural setting, if you value democracy, write to Justin Tomlinson and the council insisting on a legal challenge to this outrageous decision.

N Edwards Highworth Swindon

Why we’re better

Given Councillor Grant’s letter (Adver, January 30) residents must have thought we have left the election season for the silly season.

Leadership is about making the necessary, tough choices that are right for the borough, not just for a few votes. Sadly the local Labour Party thinks that running after every bandwagon is the way to be a government; it is not.

Fact: No Labour councillor voted against the Croft School application at Planning Committee; no Labour councillor opposed the plans at the Cabinet Meeting or at Full Council; and no Labour councillor raised any objection about the process at Scrutiny Committee.

For Labour now to claim they are suddenly on the side of the campaigners is, literally, incredible. If the Labour Party wants to stop this school now then residents of Even Swindon, the town centre and anywhere else in Swindon that needs a new school, will know that under a Labour council children will be left standing at the gate posts, denied an education.

Fact: Section 106 money is to help the whole area that is affected by a new development. The older areas of the town, including the town centre, stand to gain nothing if Labour stop the sensible allocation policy we have at the moment.

Fact: Local councillors were consulted about the changes to Whalebridge roundabout, the challenge for the Council was that we had to make our decision in a time scale dictated by the funding bodies. It is clear that there will be no development in Swindon under a Labour council because the Labour leadership is incapable of making rapid decisions.

Fact: The Labour leader defended the outrageous comments of a Labour party activist and candidate; the Labour leader failed to take resolute action and the matter was only resolved when the Regional Labour Party intervened. Does this mean that under Labour control all major decisions affecting Swindon would be taken by unelected Labour Party officials elsewhere?

Fact: The Labour Party has no original ideas and it is now trying to adopt the Administration’s own policy of localism. Yet, in 2003, the previous Labour Council was completely disengaged from all the public, charitable and voluntary sector partners in Swindon. This administration has had to spend the last eight years rebuilding trust that decades of Labour misrule had destroyed.

The record is clear: Under Labour control Swindon raised council tax 42 per cent in three years, was one of the worst councils in the country, and was saying no to all regeneration.

Now we are going into our second year of a council tax freeze, we are regenerating the town centre with the Union Square development starting to take shape, and the Council is recognised across the country as a place of innovation and leadership.

Coun Roderick Bluh Leader of the Council

Debt advice

The wonderful charity, Christians Against Poverty, who I do not work for, now have 190 branches nationally of their award winning debt counselling service. The charity has been voted charity of the year three times and debt counsellor of the year 2010.

Anyone reading this letter who is in debt can find out if there is a debt counselling centre nearby by calling 0800 328 0006 or by looking at the CAP website, www.capuk.org.

The charity has now started running money management courses all over the country, trying to help people get back in charge of their finances.

The course has been voted for by Mr Martyn Lewis of MoneySupermarket.com fame, as probably one of the best money management courses he has ever come across. It is very easy to understand, very simple but very effective.

To any of your readership who would like to know where this course is taking place, please look at the CAP website.

David Ball Flat 4, 42 Carlton Terrace Swansea

Road to ruin?

Regarding ‘MP does his best to help redundant staff’ (Adver, February 2); I realise that MPs are doomed after every General Election to have endless local newspaper articles written about them ‘working hard’ ad nauseum, and are themselves condemned to scribble weekly propaganda pieces on behalf of their political masters.

However, this is a new one on me. Mr Buckland has organised a meeting between senior directors of Biomet, the pharmaceutical company and himself in order to help redundant staff find employment.

Normally the process is done between employer and employee via their union, if they have one. So why has Mr. Buckland offered his services? I am merely curious and not condemning.

I would add, however, that he appears to be following in the footsteps of previous MPs who, after each General Election, joined the rest of us mortals into oblivion.

J Adams Bloomsbury Swindon

Heroes let down

On Sunday, February 5, I watched, with particular interest, the BBC programme, Bomber Boys.

During my service pre war and during WW2 in the regular RAF, I flew as a passenger in the following aircraft: Hawker Hart, Westland Wallace, Handley Page, Hercules (the world’s largest four engine biplane, requisitioned from Imperial Airways by the RAF at the commencement of hostilities), Dragon Rapide, Airspeed Oxford, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle and Handley Page Halifax.

The debt of gratitude which we owe to the 55,000 air crew of Bomber Command, who gave their lives in defence of our country, is immeasurable. The horrific last moments of the air crews, as they were shot out of the sky, does not bear contemplation.

Would they have been happy at the performance of post war UK politicians, who have brought our once proud and prosperous country to its knees? I do not think so.

Frank Avenell Swindon