It was interesting that Basildon Council chose to send their legal team and their barrister to the hearing (and the earlier cancelled hearing). They were not invited but were entitled to be present but not allowed to speak unless the judge allowed them to do so. Neither were they entitled to their costs. Over the last few weeks they have repeatedly contacted our solicitor and she has been forced by legal protocol to reply and send them papers AT OUR COST! Clearly they were worried and rightly so.
Although we have been refused our judicial review, the fact remains that Basildon Council in failing to inform and consult fully with the public and our elected councillors are in breach of the European Commission Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive. Information was withheld from us even after Freedom of Information requests. Local wildlife groups were not consulted despite Natural England saying they should be. Officers of the council chose not to pass on local wildlife groups serious concerns to members of the Development Control and Traffic Management Committee who are our elected representatives and had to vote on the plan. Other information known to officers was only presented as a redacted report to the public and elected councillors. Some information is still not in the public domain. Some information now differs to that which was presented at the planning meeting.
We are looking at the possibility of taking our case to the European Court. When we have sufficient information on costs, timescale and potential outcome we will call a public meeting to discuss the course of action we should take with supporters. In the meantime if you have any comments you can email them to gag2011 on the form below.
Thank you for your support. It has really kept us going through the tough times and we are determined to get justice for the people of Basildon.
[contact-form-7] ]]>Despite GAG’s legal case Basildon Council have published the proposed plan, on their online planning site, for off and on-site mitigation for the Dry Street pastures. The council’s decision to publish these documents does not mean that our legal case has failed or that it is in any way less robust. We are still awaiting our appeal hearing for permission for judicial review. Should we succeed then their mitigation plans will all be for nothing. Let us hope that is the case.
Put simply the off-site plan is for populations of reptiles and badgers that are in the way to be trapped and transported to Runwell, actually it is nearer Rettendon. They are even planning to relocate the turves. It is very sad reading particularly when the reports acknowledges the immense importance of the site and the fragile populations of flora and fauna then go on to list how much harm will be done. The proposed on-site measures are designed to save pockets of biodiversity which will reduce chances of survival of species.
Access to the documents is via http://planning.basildon.gov.uk by entering the planning reference14/01176/COND into simple search. Under the tab labelled documents there are a list of 10. If you wish to make a comment you need to use your log in or create one. Please do comment if you can and quickly. The deadline date does not seem to be noted on the site but it is likely to be two weeks today. If you would rather send your objections via email then the address [email protected] or you can write to
Planning Services
Basildon Borough Council
The Basildon Centre
St Martin’s Square
Basildon, Essex
SS14 1DL
GAG2011 are now making an application for judicial review of the planning decision by Basildon Borough Council which has now been formally approved, giving outline planning permission to developers to build 700 plus aspirational homes on a great swathe of land north of Dry St up to Nethermayne. We need your help to raise money to pay the legal fees involved. Here are some reasons why we are determined to stop this development and why local people are so angry that the local council did not listen to evidence or local opinion:
- Longwood Equestrian centre is set to be demolished. A centre of excellence and unique in the area, this centre provides riding lessons, training for local young people, hosts events and provides livery services. It’s current situation provides access to safe bridle paths.
- South Essex College Nethermayne campus will be demolished as SEC have declared it unfit for purpose. Local people know this is simply not true. SEC want to relocate to the town centre and have been given the opportunity to sell their large swathe of land to fund this. They believe that by moving to the town centre they will raise their standards. Local people will have an opinion on this.
- The sports centre adjacent to the college will also be demolished. Another sporting provision lost.
- The air ambulance will have to find an alternative landing site.
- Dry street meadows which are of major ecological importance will be built on. ‘In England, much of our biodiversity, including many of our birds, butterflies and plants, is declining. Our wildlife areas are too disjointed and fragmented, which makes it harder for wildlife to flourish and respond to climate change and other pressures, like pollution.’ This is a quote from Defra’s 2020 biodiversity policy paper. Yet this plan will fragment the Langdon Ridge and cause damage to protected species, some unique to our area. Relocation of many species has not been proved to be successful.
- Traffic will increase. Cars from 700 plus homes will make a difference. Traffic problems will not be solved by minor road improvements. The construction traffic will be immense.
- There will be extra pressure on our schools and medical services.
- Those living in adjacent roads such as Rantree Fold, Fletchers and Sporhams will subjected to noise, vibration, drainage problems and quiet Cul-de-sacs will become through-fares to the new estate. Residents wanting to sell their homes may find they are not quite so attractive to buyers.
Please consider donating to GAG2011 so that we can fight this development on your behalf.
Donate Online »
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SHAME ON YOU BASILDON COUNCIL…
In addition it has agreed to the demolition of the Longwood Equestrian Centre, a facility that offers job training, livery and the chance for hundreds of local youngsters and adults to develop and broaden skills in an increasingly popular past-time, with shows and eventing on a regular basis. Longwood was one of the places where the young Ben Maher – Olympic Gold winner in 2012 – did some of his training, as well as other successful riders in the world of equestrianism. Vague suggestions of a new location have been made, but the only one that we are aware of is on a disused land-fill site, remote from any network of bridleways, on the Thames marshes.
THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY
Defenders of Dry Street Pastures and Longwood will be seeking to challenge the planning decision through the courts, a decision that runs counter to much of what Basildon Council claims to stand for and to the spirit and letter of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Please spread the word through to your friends and contacts; and contact us if you would like to get closer involved. And please do keep up correspondence with the local Basildon press. This shameful decision needs as much exposure as possible.
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Campaigners collected over 1,000 signatures on a new petition as well as the same number of individual comments hung on the group’s “Message Tree”. A GAG spokesperson said “The anger and dismay felt by local Basildon residents at the loss of more green space in the Borough was palpable. Of the hundreds that were spoken to there was hardly anyone who was in favour of developing the land.”
GAG has also received a letter from a 29-year old (female) who wishes to remain anonymous. It sums up for many people the frustration they feel at the threat of the loss of the Dry Street Pastures. The letter has been slightly edited for content and length.
Dear Sir/Madam The Dry Street Area is a luxury of nature that enjoys its peace even when people pass through it and enjoy it. Birds watch you from the hedges, safe knowing that you can’t see them, but it is lovely hearing them chattering away in their environment. As I look across the fields by the Memorial Church to the trees high up on a hill, I feel at peace. You go away calm. The peace there straightaway calms me. Swallows or swifts appeared in September, I recognised their body shape. I have never seen those birds in the wild before, because that is ‘their’ home. The green land at Gloucester Park is not countryside, it is artificial and stuck in the middle of a road. Dry Street woods and fields are natural which I adore. Comparing this again to GloucesterPark, the air there is not too fresh, probably because there isn’t much greenery, just a bit of grass and an outline of trees. People who appreciate life and nature and the countryside treasure Dry Street. That is why, if it is damaged by putting a great amount of houses on, and losing the Equestrian Centre, we as the good of Basildon feel that we have lost the parts of our lives where we can get away from the bad parts of the town’s life. If those houses are put on that land, that peace is lost straight away. I am begging to please keep Dry Street as it is, it is so important to me and many thousands. It is sad that Basildon town does not offer many friendly faces. It is typically stressful, fast-paced, car-orientated and rush, rush, rush. I work in a fast-paced restaurant where it is frowned on by other customers to chat to who you are currently serving at the time. Their faces say it all. When you go into the woods it is magical. I have a favourite contemplation spot and I stood thre recently one Sunday morning and it was perfect. I kept bumping into dog-walkers, walkers, horse riders and a horse and cart, and this is the only untouched, uncontrolled beautiful place of freedom we have. So if all the building takes a lot of the land, nature loses its freedom. More animals will be killed by the new traffic as they don’t know what has arrived and can’t dodge the traffic. It won’t be a place to escape. It will become a new Gloucester Park, an unsafe, really crappy green box to put everyone in. A claustrophobic limited green spot to enclose everyone in. I live near to those new houses, the criminals will find it an easy temptation to wander along to, and take advantage. Basildon is a laughing stock to many other towns, but why not actually show that we have the best green area in Dry Street, and be proud of it, not building on it ? And treasure it and save it. Once that place is dissected, it is gone and nothing can ever replace the totally best ever natural area that it is. Why on earth destroy Basildon’s one bit of decent countryside we have ? I am 29 and for the last two years loved going in there most days. How I regret not treasuring all those years previous to these, going there a lot in the past as well. Anon ]]>
With the fantastic help of local Lee Chapel South and Kingswood residents, GAG leafleted homes in those areas and managed to attract over 180 people to the meeting on 17th February at LCS Community Hall. Cllr Geoff Wiliams, Frank Last of the Essex Badger Protection Group and Dr Rod Cole representing the Basildon Natural History Society and the Essex Wildlife Trust brought residents up to speed on the progress of the Nethermayne Site application and stressed the unique nature of the site from the natural history point of view. Dr Cole referred to the inadequacy of consultant reports of various surveys undertaken. It now seems likely that the planning meeting to consider the Nethermayne Site application will be held on 12th March.
The meeting is public and members of the public are allowed to speak.
Keep the Pressure Up
Residents were urged to keep the pressure up by continuing to write to the local press and highlighting their concerns.
]]>If you are a supporter, please tell all your friends about our webpage, Facebook page and Twitter feed, especially if they want to preserve our green spaces from being built on. There are easy buttons to click on and every show of support helps promote our campaign!
Thank you for visiting – please spread the word.
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