MEDIEVAL FISHPONDS WORK-PARTY

For those of you who enjoy and appreciate the beautiful Medieval Fishponds, currently NOT surrounded by 500 of Barratts finest new homes.........there will be a work-party on Saturday 4th December to carry out some gentle renovation and coppicing. You are warmly invited to join in the fun, meeting at 1.30pm at the Parkland Way parking area by the entrance to Manor Walk.CLICK HERE for a delightful virtual walk around the Fishponds, courtesy of Mwingereza.

Wellbeck Exhibition prompts Comment in Gazette

The exhibition staged by Welbeck Strategic Land at Cossham Hall last week has prompted a thoughtful lead Article in this week's Gazette. (See below.)
Have a look on our Media page to browse the back history of media interest in this saga of development planning and so-called "consultation" in Thornbury.
In particular, this week's Gazette Comment makes very interesting reading, and raises important questions for local councillors who would seek re-election by you the local residents.

Date for your diary: Mon 13th December 2pm - South Glos Cabinet will be meeting (in Thornbury Council Offices) to decide any changes to the Core Strategy in the light of the Public Representations.
Please consider coming along to this meeting - it is open to the public, and our South Glos councillors need to know that the current plans are not acceptable to local residents.

ABBREVIATED CRITIQUE OF SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL

We have had very serious reservations about the use of the Sustainability Appraisal to justify the selection of Park Farm - our full critique of this document runs to 24 pages!
We have just produced a summary version of this critique, listing its most obvious inconsistencies, all inside 2 pages of A4. Click Here to read for yourself.

REVELATIONS FROM THE CORE STRATEGY CONSULTATION

The publishing of all submissions to the South Glos Core Strategy Consultation proves fascinating reading. LINK: www.southglos.gov.uk/corestrategyconsultation Quite possibly there are some gems hidden amongst this vast quantity of documentation, just waiting to be unearthed - please let us know if you personally come across any submission that you feel needs more of a profile.
A few early findings:

• thanks to all the hard work of local Thornbury/Oldbury residents, there are vastly more objections to the proposed inclusion of the Park Farm estate in the Core Strategy, than for any other development across South Gloucestershire.
• a concensus is emerging that it is not just residents in NW Thornbury who have been troubled by the inaccuracies, bias, unsustainability and injustice of the so-called "Sustainability Appraisal".
  
• an unexpected objector has emerged in the form of developers Welbeck Strategic Land. Their weighty submission to SGlos makes fascinating reading. It would appear that the strength of these objections has prompted them to set up a Public Exhibition at Cossham Hall next Thursday 18th November between 3-8pm which will "provide information on all six sites considered by South Gloucestershire Council." This week's Gazette has an article exploring further Welbeck Strategic Land's proposals.

For your information, South Glos have amended their timetable and intend to have their Full Cabinet vote on the Core Strategy on 13th December, with their decision taken to Full Council on 15th December. Whatever the outcomes of these votes, that is not the end of the story - in March/April 2011 the whole process must be independently and publicly examined and approved by the National Planning Inspector. Only at this point can the Core Strategy be adopted. We remain firmly convinced that the only route to approval of the Core Strategy must be by removing the proposals relating to Park Farm, and starting again with a new and fair, open, balanced, objective Sustainability Appraisal of all potential sites around Thornbury, that welcomes the voices and contributions of local residents and grass-roots communities.

Things to consider in the short term:

• Thornbury Town Councillors (Town Development committe 2-11-10) have expressed an interest in the Public Exhibition being held at Cossham Hall this coming Thursday 18th November (between 3-8pm). Why not join them and drop into the Exhibition for yourself. It would be good for a show of strength in voicing our concerns over the flawed South Glos Core Strategy, and our belief that it must not be allowed to stand in its current form.
• Read some of the Representations to the Core Strategy - We have no guarantee that Councillors will be reading them through, so write to them and let them know your findings. (see this blog on 22nd Sept for list of names and e-mail addresses)
  
• In May 2011 there will be elections to South Glos and Thornbury Town Councils. As a group of disillusioned electors we are determined to find and vote for councillors who will listen to the voices and concerns of local residents. We would urge you to strongly consider whether this is something that you might be able to do. Please let us know your thoughts.