This government has a lot to answer for. Flying in the face of strong local feeling and the decision made last year by Swindon Borough Council to finally reject the development at the land surrounding Coate Water Country Park (with all its archaeological and historical associations).
I received this email last night from the Chair of Wiltshire Ramblers Association.
"I had a letter from this morning advising that the Secretary of State had granted planning permission for the development of the land at Commonhead! It says the decision is final unless it is successfully challenged in the High Court and what would that cost?!!!"
PS: Commonhead is the name the developers have given the site to disguise its associations.
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To quote that vile Osborne today: "Of course, those projects succeeded because they were not killed off by the planning system. You can't earn your future if you can't get planning permission. Global businesses have diverted specific investments that would have created hundreds of jobs in some of the most deprived communities in Britain to countries like Germany and the Netherlands, because they couldn't get planning permission here. That is unacceptable. Next week my RHFs the Communities Secretary and the Planning Minister will publish the results of our overhaul of planning regulation. We're replacing 1000 pages of guidance with just 50 pages. We're introducing a presumption in favour of sustainable development; While protecting our most precious environments. The new policy comes into effect when the National Planning Policy Framework is published next Tuesday. This is the biggest reduction in business red tape ever undertaken." guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/21/budget-speech-2012-full-text?INTCMP=SRCH Oh look you'll be pleased to see he's protecting our most precious environments. With just 50 pages compared to 1000 pages, that'll have a really big section devoted to it. Looks like we can all get used to the sound of bulldozers everywhere. Because to put off global corporations who want to build on our countryside is unacceptable apparently. And are you saying you want to stop 100s of jobs going to our most deprived communities? He really cares about those people, can't you tell by some of the other measures he's been putting in. Sorry to hear this June. But this government really doesn't give a flying fox about anything important and they won't be happy until their pockets are fuller than ever, nothing else matters. How bloody depressing.
Bloody depressing sums it up, thanks for your comment though. swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9601467.Controversial_Coate_Water_homes_plan_gets_go_ahead/
"Redrow now looks forward to delivering this much needed development at the earliest opportunity. Redrow’s New Heritage Collection of detached family homes will be a real asset to the Swindon area." Can you imagine being the sort of person that can spout such utter bilge. Presumeably they must even believe it on some level, otherwise how would they sleep. Sigh.
"New Heritage Collection". That's the funniest thing I've heard today. Obviously the irony of destruction of the "Old Heritage Collection" in the process has either escaped them or they really do know that they're taking the piss. How much longer must we tolerate this bunch of Tory tossers "running" the country?
Feb 2013. Coate stone circle, mound and possible cursus still under threat. Landscape around it threatened. Stones have been removed. Land agent landowner denies all knowledge of stone circle on his land. Development going ahead with no guarantee stone circle will be protected. Rumours that archeaological remains found when Hospital at Commonhead, Swindon built and not disclosed. Help needed to protect the site in its landscape.
Do you have a contact email address?