THE DIGGERS ARRIVE

Local residents were somewhat shocked to see diggers at work in the lush green fields of Park Farm. One local resident sent me a panic-stricken e-mail asking if the builders had arrived!

Because of course OFFICIALLY South Glos are still considering all the representations made by you and me and all the other local residents (oh yes, and developers) who may have submitted views concerning the proposed 500+ housing development, earmarked for the fields behind Castle School, that back onto Thornbury Castle, the Medieval Fishponds, and much of Park Farm.
UNOFFICIALLY planners have already indicated to STGH that they are still proceeding with the current plans regardless of our representations. So much for "Consultation"!

Despite David Cameron's talk of The Big Society last week, where local people are urged to take on local responsibility, South Glos Planning Department seem to prefer the little society, where they can ride roughshod over the nuisance opinions of local people, prefering to listen to the financial arguments of the developers, and meeting their own self-imposed deadlines and targets.
Are we really too late to see some fair play in Thornbury? Currently these diggers are only here to carry out some archaealogical surveys. Next time, they could be here to dig the footings.

We urge you to write to your South Glos Cabinet Members (see names and addresses in previous post below 22-9-10) as soon as you possibly can.

Ask them if they have actually read the Sustainability Appraisal yet - and if they have, how they can possibly pursue the Park Farm development on the basis of such a flawed and inaccurate piece of non-appraisal!
Ask why local residents have NEVER been consulted on which one of the six identified sites (Sustainability Appraisal) would be the best option for housing development inThornbury?
Ask why the most recent Government Inspector to examine housing sites around Thornbury, having declared the Park Farm estate to be UNSUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT, is now being completely ignored.

Please don't put off writing. We must act together to make a difference NOW.