News just in... Local residents are to be given more time to respond to the Government’s second eco-towns public consultation after Housing Minister Margaret Beckett today extended the deadline for responses.
The consultation on the draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS) and Sustainability Appraisal on eco-towns has now been extended to Thursday 30 April, meaning it will run for more than five months. There will be a further opportunity for the public to have a say once planning applications are submitted for eco-towns.
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: “Eco-towns present a superb opportunity to provide more affordable housing which is built to the UK’s toughest ever green standards, and we cannot afford to miss it. But it is vital we identify the right locations for these eco-towns and I will not support any proposal that our assessment and consultation concludes is unsuitable.
“I know this is an issue that raises a lot of strong opinion on all sides. I have extended the deadline to ensure that all parties, irrespective of their views, are given the full opportunity to have their say, and I urge everyone to respond to this consultation.”
The consultation extension has been announced following yesterday’s release of the full High Court written judgement on the Judicial Review on eco-towns, which the Government has won on all grounds.
A viability study on the proposals submitted by developers will also be published shortly and will provide more information to people looking to respond to the consultation. Ministers will carefully consider all consultation responses before coming to final decisions on the PPS.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
3.7 BILLION! That's the expected deficit from 10 Eco Towns!
An independent assessment of the viability of the Middle Quinton Eco-town proposal has concluded that the proposed development is unviable with a deficit of £373m. The six local authorities directly affected by the Middle Quinton proposal commissioned CBRE Consultants to undertake the assessment. CBRE have prepared a detailed construction cost estimate and a detailed property market review which has informed their financial appraisal of the proposed development.
Given the scale of the deficit identified, the report concludes that the development is unlikely to support the level of contributions which the local authorities would expect to secure in order to deliver essential infrastructure and services. This means that alternative ways of funding requirements such as public transport, highway infrastructure and education would have to be found, as the development itself could not fund them.
Commenting on the report Councillor Charles Gillams, Chair of the Councils’ Eco-Town Joint Working Group said: ‘The independent assessment confirms our long held doubts about the viability of an Eco-town in this location. It would appear that the development could not proceed without massive public subsidy. Such public expenditure would be better directed to sustainable urban locations where needs can be matched with opportunities and existing infrastructure can be utilised more effectively.’
www.stratford.gov.uk/files/seealsodocs/9380/Middle%20Quinton%20Financial%20Assessment%20%2D%20Feb%202009.pdf
It seems fair to assume that Middle Quinton is pretty average as an eco town site - so mutiply that deficit by 10 Eco Towns and you get an overall cost to the tax payer of over 10 billion quid!
Given the scale of the deficit identified, the report concludes that the development is unlikely to support the level of contributions which the local authorities would expect to secure in order to deliver essential infrastructure and services. This means that alternative ways of funding requirements such as public transport, highway infrastructure and education would have to be found, as the development itself could not fund them.
Commenting on the report Councillor Charles Gillams, Chair of the Councils’ Eco-Town Joint Working Group said: ‘The independent assessment confirms our long held doubts about the viability of an Eco-town in this location. It would appear that the development could not proceed without massive public subsidy. Such public expenditure would be better directed to sustainable urban locations where needs can be matched with opportunities and existing infrastructure can be utilised more effectively.’
www.stratford.gov.uk/files/seealsodocs/9380/Middle%20Quinton%20Financial%20Assessment%20%2D%20Feb%202009.pdf
It seems fair to assume that Middle Quinton is pretty average as an eco town site - so mutiply that deficit by 10 Eco Towns and you get an overall cost to the tax payer of over 10 billion quid!
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Misery for Redrow?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7909459.stm
Perhaps if they worked a bit harder on developing housing schemes that met with local agreement, not local disgust, people might be happier to buy their new houses?
Personally I will never buy anything built by Redrow or Wates as I think they are completely unethical companies.
Perhaps if they worked a bit harder on developing housing schemes that met with local agreement, not local disgust, people might be happier to buy their new houses?
Personally I will never buy anything built by Redrow or Wates as I think they are completely unethical companies.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
CAFE for the Top 40
Yes its true we have a song, and a very unique song at that!
Come to its launch at the Lamb Pub, Bilsham Road, Yapton Friday 27th February 8pm meet the producer and have a drink and a dance and catch up with the CAFE news.
In the summer, New York singer / song writer David Francis visited friend, John Mono, in Yapton and was horrified at the Government’s proposal to build and destroy the greenfields of Ford for an eco-town. The plight of Yapton, Ford and Clymping inspired David, in collaboration with John Mono, to compose and record the song in John's Yapton bedroom recording studio!
John already had a lot of interest in our eco-town fight from other musician friends from around the World so decided to get them all to contribute making the recording of the song totally unique by being Global and recorded via the internet.
Come and hear our song 'Anthem For Green England', or better still buy a copy! If the musicians around the World can see the folly of the eco-towns let's see if our song can get the Government to finally listen.
See you on the Friday 27th at the Lamb for a truly unique and fun event. The Government won't read our letters, listen to our protests, look at our petition so let's get them to hear our song!
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Letter to Mr M Watson
Good Grief! Is M Watson, Babsham Lane living on a different planet to the rest of us, is he plain naive or just very good mates with the FAVG (landowners/developer consortium)? The Government are not leading the way – they are in fact 2 year’s out of date with their housing figures which have gone down considerably, neither have they considered the obvious which would be to bring back into use the million properties in this country standing empty.
But let us look at his “stunning” “brilliant” eco towns point by point.
No, the “eco” town homes will not be zero carbon. Code Level 6 has mysteriously been reduced to code level 4 so the “eco” homes will be exactly the same as the requirement for any new building in the next year or two.
Could he enlarge upon the “multitude of other progressive environmental features” please? I’m afraid I can’t think of one!
By transport links I presume he means the bus that is proposed to be circulating round the site, a screen in each house flashing its impending approach, along with some cycle lanes? Could he explain what on earth would be the point of moving the station from the middle of the “eco” site to the west end of it?
Could he enlarge on the “high grade employment” proposed please? What are the proposed 4,000 jobs going to be?
The “affordable housing element” seems to have been left out of the latest plan. Land is going to be set aside for some other developers to provide that. I wonder if anyone will?
M. Watson must have been asleep when the proposed plans to provide energy from wind turbines and the River Arun were thrown out of the mix as not only unworkable but positively dangerous. Using rubbish has also been found to be unworkable as this would entail a HGV bringing waste to the site from all over southern England every 12 minutes day and night! Wake up M Watson. This is not “eco”!
But most importantly, M. Watson, if such an outrageous proposal should ever go ahead our descendants would look on us with disgust not at “failing to grasp realities”. They would look on us with disgust for concreting over fields that could have been used to grow crops so that they would not be dependent on other countries for their very food! They would look at old photos of the beautiful countryside, the meadows and wild-life, the ancient trees and hedgedrows, hear stories about quiet village life and birdsong and look on us with disgust at not trying hard enough to stop the destruction of all that beauty for no good reason, just so a few greedy and selfish individuals can line their own pockets. Who’ll then they’ll be off leaving the rest of us in the complete and utter concrete, gridlocked mess they will have created.
P.Wales,
North End Road,
Yapton
But let us look at his “stunning” “brilliant” eco towns point by point.
No, the “eco” town homes will not be zero carbon. Code Level 6 has mysteriously been reduced to code level 4 so the “eco” homes will be exactly the same as the requirement for any new building in the next year or two.
Could he enlarge upon the “multitude of other progressive environmental features” please? I’m afraid I can’t think of one!
By transport links I presume he means the bus that is proposed to be circulating round the site, a screen in each house flashing its impending approach, along with some cycle lanes? Could he explain what on earth would be the point of moving the station from the middle of the “eco” site to the west end of it?
Could he enlarge on the “high grade employment” proposed please? What are the proposed 4,000 jobs going to be?
The “affordable housing element” seems to have been left out of the latest plan. Land is going to be set aside for some other developers to provide that. I wonder if anyone will?
M. Watson must have been asleep when the proposed plans to provide energy from wind turbines and the River Arun were thrown out of the mix as not only unworkable but positively dangerous. Using rubbish has also been found to be unworkable as this would entail a HGV bringing waste to the site from all over southern England every 12 minutes day and night! Wake up M Watson. This is not “eco”!
But most importantly, M. Watson, if such an outrageous proposal should ever go ahead our descendants would look on us with disgust not at “failing to grasp realities”. They would look on us with disgust for concreting over fields that could have been used to grow crops so that they would not be dependent on other countries for their very food! They would look at old photos of the beautiful countryside, the meadows and wild-life, the ancient trees and hedgedrows, hear stories about quiet village life and birdsong and look on us with disgust at not trying hard enough to stop the destruction of all that beauty for no good reason, just so a few greedy and selfish individuals can line their own pockets. Who’ll then they’ll be off leaving the rest of us in the complete and utter concrete, gridlocked mess they will have created.
P.Wales,
North End Road,
Yapton
Yet another evasive non-answer from the No 10 Petition Website
http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page18287
The petition asked the the Prime Minister to "abandon plans to build
Eco Towns on Greenfield sites."
Guess which words did not appear in Gordon "I saved the world" Brown's answer?
Ok - he does use the word Green, but only in his usual spinning way of "exemplar green developments" - I wondered momentarily if they were being ironic - but that is beyond this lot!
Not once does he address the actual petition, which tells Gordon that by definition a town built on a green field cannot claim to be green. In the same way that upholstering your Toyota Prius with fur from tiger skin and endangered bats means that you cannot claim it to be an 'eco' car - however big its electric motor!
The petition asked the the Prime Minister to "abandon plans to build
Eco Towns on Greenfield sites."
Guess which words did not appear in Gordon "I saved the world" Brown's answer?
Ok - he does use the word Green, but only in his usual spinning way of "exemplar green developments" - I wondered momentarily if they were being ironic - but that is beyond this lot!
Not once does he address the actual petition, which tells Gordon that by definition a town built on a green field cannot claim to be green. In the same way that upholstering your Toyota Prius with fur from tiger skin and endangered bats means that you cannot claim it to be an 'eco' car - however big its electric motor!
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Mobile consultation on Arun's housing future
ARUN District Council is taking to the streets, to get residents' views on major development. A public consultation on the council's blueprint, setting out where 6,000 new homes will be built in the next 20 years, will include a website, a display at Arun Civic Centre and a mobile unit, fitted out with maps, plans and laptops.
Leader of the council, Gill Brown said: "We have some tough decisions to make in Arun over the next few months, and the input of local residents is absolutely integral to this process. Click here for more...
Leader of the council, Gill Brown said: "We have some tough decisions to make in Arun over the next few months, and the input of local residents is absolutely integral to this process. Click here for more...
Friday, 13 February 2009
Scroungebites
I read this letter tonight and I nearly laughed the straw out my socks!
Just another desperate mishmash of soundbites... "It seems to me that the government has, for once, shown the sort of leadership that is required in these extremely challenging times", erm - is this the government who have spectaclulary failed on social housing?
"People must be educated to accept that the times of profligate waste and excessive use of fossil fuels must end. The stunning idea of planned Eco-Towns is a positive step in the right direction". Building on GRADE A farmland is the way forward then?
"There is very little time to rescue this nation from the approaching calamity of severe fuel shortages, and the global warming threat". I'm shitting my pants now!!! Is this person person for real? Either he knows something we don't or is an expert in fear mongering maybe?
Mr Gummidge loves these soundshites... "There would be high-grade employment virtually on-site". Mr G - guffaw guffaw, show me the proof..! "The houses are planned as affordable homes, not just fancy, executive ones". Mr G, Aaaah ha ha ha ha ha, show me the proof..! "There is planned to be considerable capture of energy from re-cycling of waste products on-site, and even if not completely self-sufficient, at least a good percentage could be recaptured and re-used. There will no doubt be several wind turbines and a possibility of some energy from the flow of the River Arun". GLOMPS! Why didn't I think of that instead of wasting my life chasing crows?
Mr G thinks these minority pro Ford Eco-Town soundbites are becoming desperate scroungebites... Please invite me round for a cup of tea and a nice slice of cake Mr Watson? After all I live up the road from your calamity of fuel shortages and global warming threat...
Just another desperate mishmash of soundbites... "It seems to me that the government has, for once, shown the sort of leadership that is required in these extremely challenging times", erm - is this the government who have spectaclulary failed on social housing?
"People must be educated to accept that the times of profligate waste and excessive use of fossil fuels must end. The stunning idea of planned Eco-Towns is a positive step in the right direction". Building on GRADE A farmland is the way forward then?
"There is very little time to rescue this nation from the approaching calamity of severe fuel shortages, and the global warming threat". I'm shitting my pants now!!! Is this person person for real? Either he knows something we don't or is an expert in fear mongering maybe?
Mr Gummidge loves these soundshites... "There would be high-grade employment virtually on-site". Mr G - guffaw guffaw, show me the proof..! "The houses are planned as affordable homes, not just fancy, executive ones". Mr G, Aaaah ha ha ha ha ha, show me the proof..! "There is planned to be considerable capture of energy from re-cycling of waste products on-site, and even if not completely self-sufficient, at least a good percentage could be recaptured and re-used. There will no doubt be several wind turbines and a possibility of some energy from the flow of the River Arun". GLOMPS! Why didn't I think of that instead of wasting my life chasing crows?
Mr G thinks these minority pro Ford Eco-Town soundbites are becoming desperate scroungebites... Please invite me round for a cup of tea and a nice slice of cake Mr Watson? After all I live up the road from your calamity of fuel shortages and global warming threat...
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Your views are important
Arun District Council wish to hear the views of members of the public on the Core Strategy ’Options for Growth’ and Initial Sustainability Commentary published by Arun District Council as part of the progress of the Local Development Framework. Arun District Council has published detail of three preferred options for the location of strategic development in the Arun District in the future. The consultation period runs from 12th February 2009 to 2nd April 2009.
You can visit the ADC page here
Here is the important bit, we've got to get as many people as possible to answer the online questionnaire as it will effect all of us whether the eco-town gets the go ahead or not. If ADC get Ford as the preferred growth Option it won't matter if we beat FAVG Ford will be open season to any developer forever and we will have little grounds to stop any development. This really is our future and we must say NO more housing on such large scales.
You can download a PDF of the Core Strategy and questionnaire.
You can visit the ADC page here
Here is the important bit, we've got to get as many people as possible to answer the online questionnaire as it will effect all of us whether the eco-town gets the go ahead or not. If ADC get Ford as the preferred growth Option it won't matter if we beat FAVG Ford will be open season to any developer forever and we will have little grounds to stop any development. This really is our future and we must say NO more housing on such large scales.
You can download a PDF of the Core Strategy and questionnaire.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Your chance to grill Government on eco-town
THE West Sussex Gazette is giving readers the chance to grill a Government minister over the proposals for an eco-town at Ford. The Department for Communities and Local Government says it is keen to tackle some of the myths that have come up regarding the plans.
People who want to have their say should write to the West Sussex Gazette with their questions for Iain Wright, who is a parliamentary under-secretary of state at the department, by Wednesday, February 18.
West Sussex Gazette
Cannon House
Chatworth Road
Worthing
BN11 1NA
Email: david.white@westsussextoday.co.uk
Apologies for publishing the wrong address - thanks to all who pointed this out...
People who want to have their say should write to the West Sussex Gazette with their questions for Iain Wright, who is a parliamentary under-secretary of state at the department, by Wednesday, February 18.
West Sussex Gazette
Cannon House
Chatworth Road
Worthing
BN11 1NA
Email: david.white@westsussextoday.co.uk
Apologies for publishing the wrong address - thanks to all who pointed this out...
Monday, 9 February 2009
Another one bites the dust
One of our eagle-eyed sources spotted this in Saturday's Telegraph:
"BUILDER PULLS OUT OF ECO-TOWN PLAN
Gordon Brown's eco-town policy has suffered another blow after a developer pulled out of building one of the controversial settlements. O&H Properties withdrew from the scheme for 20,000 homes in Marston Vale, Beds, because of the time constraints and requirements for an eco-town. Of the government's original shortlist of 15 sites there are 11 remaining. Up to 10 are proposed, with five due to be built by 2016".
Good news or bad for our CAFE campaign - who knows!
"BUILDER PULLS OUT OF ECO-TOWN PLAN
Gordon Brown's eco-town policy has suffered another blow after a developer pulled out of building one of the controversial settlements. O&H Properties withdrew from the scheme for 20,000 homes in Marston Vale, Beds, because of the time constraints and requirements for an eco-town. Of the government's original shortlist of 15 sites there are 11 remaining. Up to 10 are proposed, with five due to be built by 2016".
Good news or bad for our CAFE campaign - who knows!
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Council house tenants offered £30,000 bribes to move out
Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being spent encouraging people in social housing to move to the private sector — either as home-buyers or tenants. Those in larger council homes are also being offered cash payments of up to £3,000 per bedroom if they agree to downsize to a smaller social house or apartment. Click here for more...
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Help bring empty homes back into use...
I've just heard from the CPRE that there is an Early Day Motion tabled in the House of Commons (and with cross-party support too) calling for a reduction in the rate of VAT on building repairs and improvement work to existing buildings.
This has to be a better and more sustainable way to provide housing than building new houses on our fields - helping protect the countryside and our heritage.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=36999&SESSION=899
If you agree, please ask your MP to sign EDM 7: VAT on repairs and maintenance to existing buildings.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/
This has to be a better and more sustainable way to provide housing than building new houses on our fields - helping protect the countryside and our heritage.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=36999&SESSION=899
If you agree, please ask your MP to sign EDM 7: VAT on repairs and maintenance to existing buildings.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Poor Mr Gummidge
It hasn't been an easy start to 2009 for Mr G... My Father died January 4th after a five year battle against cancer... Sorting out the numerous complications that relate to such an event can then take away a month of your life, hence me being away from the fray...
So, I welcomed the first day of February with the customary 'pinch punch' that Mrs G and I have become accustomed to... However, just as your straw filled friend is starting to get some renewed perspective on life - the credit crunch spangs me full on!
Mr G's employers, a global publishing company based in Sussex decides I am no longer needed and gives me the elbow!
Hmmm... I wonder what I will do with all this time... I feel a book coming on... Eco Towns for Dummies?
So, I welcomed the first day of February with the customary 'pinch punch' that Mrs G and I have become accustomed to... However, just as your straw filled friend is starting to get some renewed perspective on life - the credit crunch spangs me full on!
Mr G's employers, a global publishing company based in Sussex decides I am no longer needed and gives me the elbow!
Hmmm... I wonder what I will do with all this time... I feel a book coming on... Eco Towns for Dummies?
Saturday, 31 January 2009
CAFÉ NEWSLETTER January 2009
Dear Friends and Supporters
A belated Happy New Year!
I have to say it, seems as if we are already half way through the year with so much happening in just the last few weeks.
Hopefully you have all sent your CAFÉ Xmas card to the DCLG. If you haven’t please do, it will help remind the Government’s eco-town team that Ford must be dropped from their list.
The Shadow Housing Minister, Grant Shapps MP, visited the area on January 19th. This was an extremely positive and useful day for everyone. Grant toured the entire Ford site. He then held an informal meeting with CAFÉ, Ford PC, Climping PC, Yapton PC, Walberton PC, Barnham PC, Arundel TC and Littlehampton TC, to listen to each community’s express concerns.
Grant used this opportunity to stress that the Tory policy will be a return to local communities deciding on their future, not Central Government. If there is a change in Government, the eco-town process would be scrapped, provided schemes were not in build.
You will have probably heard that the legal challenge, Judicial Review, on the eco-town process was dismissed. This is a great shame but not a set back. It simply means that we haven’t managed to cut short the eco-town process, we will simply have to keep on fighting and send our message even more vigorously and loudly to the Government’s eco-town team leaving them in no doubt that Ford must be removed from their list. The fight must go on so keep on writing to the DCLG, the local papers and this blog.
Finally, CAFÉ have been busy working up our response to Arun District Council for the Select Committee process on Ford. The Committee has met once and reconvenes on February 5th. The recommendations of this Committee will form Arun’s response to the DCLG on the 2nd Phase consultation process for the eco-town process.
Along with writing papers for Arun, CAFÉ are also putting together our final response to the Government’s eco-town team which you will soon be able to find on the CAFÉ website
Thank you for your continued support. Keep fighting and we will win!
Vicky
A belated Happy New Year!
I have to say it, seems as if we are already half way through the year with so much happening in just the last few weeks.
Hopefully you have all sent your CAFÉ Xmas card to the DCLG. If you haven’t please do, it will help remind the Government’s eco-town team that Ford must be dropped from their list.
The Shadow Housing Minister, Grant Shapps MP, visited the area on January 19th. This was an extremely positive and useful day for everyone. Grant toured the entire Ford site. He then held an informal meeting with CAFÉ, Ford PC, Climping PC, Yapton PC, Walberton PC, Barnham PC, Arundel TC and Littlehampton TC, to listen to each community’s express concerns.
Grant used this opportunity to stress that the Tory policy will be a return to local communities deciding on their future, not Central Government. If there is a change in Government, the eco-town process would be scrapped, provided schemes were not in build.
You will have probably heard that the legal challenge, Judicial Review, on the eco-town process was dismissed. This is a great shame but not a set back. It simply means that we haven’t managed to cut short the eco-town process, we will simply have to keep on fighting and send our message even more vigorously and loudly to the Government’s eco-town team leaving them in no doubt that Ford must be removed from their list. The fight must go on so keep on writing to the DCLG, the local papers and this blog.
Finally, CAFÉ have been busy working up our response to Arun District Council for the Select Committee process on Ford. The Committee has met once and reconvenes on February 5th. The recommendations of this Committee will form Arun’s response to the DCLG on the 2nd Phase consultation process for the eco-town process.
Along with writing papers for Arun, CAFÉ are also putting together our final response to the Government’s eco-town team which you will soon be able to find on the CAFÉ website
Thank you for your continued support. Keep fighting and we will win!
Vicky
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