Cherhill is a village in North Wiltshire and lies nestled beneath the Cherhill Down, well known for its White Horse and views of the Lansdowne Monument. This landscape is of national significance as recognised by its designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Plans are afoot to build a village hall with large car park on the field at the end of Park Lane, Cherhill on the corner of the A4. This is a green field and lies directly opposite the Cherhill Down and White Horse (the photo shown is taken from this field). The field is outside of the village boundary and Park Lane is a Conservation area.
Please sign this petition to stop any development on this field, whether the use is for community or housing. To build here would change the landscape of this area, affecting the Conservation area within Cherhill, the scenery from the A4 and visual approach into the village, as well as being highly visible from the Cherhill Down. The additional noise, traffic, artificial lighting and disruption will detract from the natural beauty of this area and present road traffic safety issues.
change.org/p/wiltshire-council-stop-any-development-on-park-lane-field-in-cherhill
I'm not sure about this one. Cherhill Down and Calstone Coombs are two places I love to walk. The views from Cherhill are spectacular in every direction. I've had a look at the FB page and just read this news link
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-31452633
- which says the farmer is willing to donate the field providing it is used exclusively for the village hall. It also says the hall will be designed sensitively to its surroundings. Isn't it up to the residents of Cherhill village? Not trying to be argumentative but will think about it a bit before signing the petition.
Completely off topic about the village hall, but I suddenly remembered there was once a tithe barn at Cherhill, and on looking it up came across this painting of it...
collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O596169/the-tithe-barn-cherhill-recording-watercolour-lines/
Our subjective need to protect 'The Vanishing Face of Britain' is as still strong today as it was at the end of the last war in 1944, yet time marches on relentlessly. Yet Cherhill is still relatively unmarked, as is Avebury by its huddle of village houses. Topical considering the destruction of monuments in other wars that are going on at the moment.
"The scheme was known as 'Recording the changing face of Britain' and was established by Sir Kenneth Clark, then the director of the National Gallery. It ran alongside the official War Artists' Scheme, which he also initiated. Clark was inspired by several motives: at the outbreak of war in 1939, there was a concern to document the British landscape in the face of the imminent threat of bomb damage, invasion, and loss caused by the operations of war. This was allied to an anxiety about changes to the landscape already underway, such as the rapid growth of cities, road building and housing developments, the decline of rural ways of life and industries, and new agricultural practices, which together contributed to the idea of a 'vanishing Britain'.
Rather than worrying too much about a village hall being built by the A4 in Cherhill, how about a campaign to get the Lafarge Cement Works chimney, which is very visible from Westbury White Horse, demolished. I understand the cement works has been decommissioned.
Would definitely put my name to that.