Explanation
In June 2010, a new duty on local authorities (which includes Wiltshire Council) came into force and now requires the Council to respond to petitions and to tell local people what action is going to be taken. It is part of a set of measures designed to reinvigorate local democracy. Hitherto, some of our local authorities have been very dismissive of “petitions”: being seen as just a product of a few maverick individuals rather than what they really were ~ a thoughtful contribution to a particular debate on issue. With a change in government thinking and the intention of the current administration to enable local councils to play a more important role in planning decisions it is important that local authorities do listen to their electorate. Part of the duty is that the Council has to make an electronic facility available for e-petitions. Petitions with significant support trigger a debate of full council. The threshold for “significance” is nominally 5% but the Council has set it, admirably, at 2.5% (about 11 500 signatures). Anyone who works, lives, studies or uses the “services” of the Council may submit a petition.
It has been suggested that Ps and Qs opens a petition on Ridgeway Farm and the general concept of mass housing projects between Swindon and the parish of Purton. Residents’ lives are being affected by planning and the constant need to be on top of the latest application or consultation. The residents have a right to peaceful living and not have to worry about the next thing in the pipeline, at the whim and fancy of property speculators.
The Petition
We, the undersigned, do not agree that there is sufficient, verifiable need for more mass housing in the Parish of Purton which is within the Unitary Authority of Wiltshire Council. In particular we do not agree with proposals for houses to be built at Ridgeway Farm and adjacent land within the Parish of Purton for several reasons:
1. The Regional Spatial Strategy under which these houses were allocated is being abolished due to its flawed nature
2. There is no substantiated local need
3. There are limited employment opportunities within the Parish which creates a reliance on private car for access to Wiltshire’s main centres of employment. It also places a reliance on employment in the neighbouring Swindon Borough Council
4. The criteria used for housing need have changed since the initial numbers were allocated and therefore do not take into account climate change, lower levels of economic growth, migration patterns and other sustainability criteria
5. Inadequate infrastructure related to provision of energy, water, solid waste, sewerage and roads
6. Known vulnerabilities such as the flooding of 2007/2008
7. Promotion of coalescence when large-scale development is placed in a rural parish
8. Inability of the parish to provide essential services needed for such a large addition creating a separate community bolted onto the boundary of Purton with SBC
9. The site, being divorced from the village settlement, adds nothing to the community of the Parish
In addition, we believe that the concept of a rural buffer which was removed by the former Regional Spatial Strategy should be reinstated, and that the Community Plan which was widely consulted within north Wiltshire should be respected.
Updates
January 21, 2011
Five hundred signatures on the board. The message is clear.
Reached 500 supporters
January 18, 2011
Reached 100 supporters
July 12, 2010
6 Comments
Traffic is absolutely ridiculous. We were told when Abbeymeads was built that a new road would be built from Junc 16 but this has never appeared. In any other industry this would be fraud. But councils and governments get away with it!
The roads round here cant handle the traffic we have already. Its gridlock at 8am every single day. Why keep adding more houses without any proper infrastructure?
Ridgeway Farm is such a beautiful spot. Once its gone it is gone forever. Stop building over our countryside for profit!
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. We moved to Purton for the space not to live in a concrete jungle. The council needs to listen for once.
Schools and doctors are already struggling to cope. Where are all these new people supposed to go? Just leave it alone.
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Explanation
In June 2010, a new duty on local authorities (which includes Wiltshire Council) came into force and now requires the Council to respond to petitions and to tell local people what action is going to be taken. It is part of a set of measures designed to reinvigorate local democracy. Hitherto, some of our local authorities have been very dismissive of “petitions”: being seen as just a product of a few maverick individuals rather than what they really were ~ a thoughtful contribution to a particular debate on issue. With a change in government thinking and the intention of the current administration to enable local councils to play a more important role in planning decisions it is important that local authorities do listen to their electorate. Part of the duty is that the Council has to make an electronic facility available for e-petitions. Petitions with significant support trigger a debate of full council. The threshold for “significance” is nominally 5% but the Council has set it, admirably, at 2.5% (about 11 500 signatures). Anyone who works, lives, studies or uses the “services” of the Council may submit a petition.
It has been suggested that Ps and Qs opens a petition on Ridgeway Farm and the general concept of mass housing projects between Swindon and the parish of Purton. Residents’ lives are being affected by planning and the constant need to be on top of the latest application or consultation. The residents have a right to peaceful living and not have to worry about the next thing in the pipeline, at the whim and fancy of property speculators.
The Petition
We, the undersigned, do not agree that there is sufficient, verifiable need for more mass housing in the Parish of Purton which is within the Unitary Authority of Wiltshire Council. In particular we do not agree with proposals for houses to be built at Ridgeway Farm and adjacent land within the Parish of Purton for several reasons:
1. The Regional Spatial Strategy under which these houses were allocated is being abolished due to its flawed nature
2. There is no substantiated local need
3. There are limited employment opportunities within the Parish which creates a reliance on private car for access to Wiltshire’s main centres of employment. It also places a reliance on employment in the neighbouring Swindon Borough Council
4. The criteria used for housing need have changed since the initial numbers were allocated and therefore do not take into account climate change, lower levels of economic growth, migration patterns and other sustainability criteria
5. Inadequate infrastructure related to provision of energy, water, solid waste, sewerage and roads
6. Known vulnerabilities such as the flooding of 2007/2008
7. Promotion of coalescence when large-scale development is placed in a rural parish
8. Inability of the parish to provide essential services needed for such a large addition creating a separate community bolted onto the boundary of Purton with SBC
9. The site, being divorced from the village settlement, adds nothing to the community of the Parish
In addition, we believe that the concept of a rural buffer which was removed by the former Regional Spatial Strategy should be reinstated, and that the Community Plan which was widely consulted within north Wiltshire should be respected.
Updates
January 21, 2011
Five hundred signatures on the board. The message is clear.
Reached 500 supporters
January 18, 2011
Reached 100 supporters
July 12, 2010
6 Comments
Sacrificing farmland and green space for speculative developments that fall outside local plans and housing need has become a norm and sentences communities to live in constant fear of profit driven destruction, including endless appeals from developers should they be turned down. Communities and the environment deserve to have security and fairness. The present system permits a very small number of people to bulldoze over the lives of many and to lose countryside forever. Brownfield sites, are often sat on by developers who would rather rip up more profitable greenfield sites than build within and regenerate existing communities. I cite the Whitbread brewery site in Romsey Hampshire as an example. Green field development continues apace around the town.
Traffic is absolutely ridiculous. We were told when Abbeymeads was built that a new road would be built from Junc 16 but this has never appeared. In any other industry this would be fraud. But councils and governments get away with it!
The roads round here cant handle the traffic we have already. Its gridlock at 8am every single day. Why keep adding more houses without any proper infrastructure?
Ridgeway Farm is such a beautiful spot. Once its gone it is gone forever. Stop building over our countryside for profit!
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. We moved to Purton for the space not to live in a concrete jungle. The council needs to listen for once.
Schools and doctors are already struggling to cope. Where are all these new people supposed to go? Just leave it alone.
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Sacrificing farmland and green space for speculative developments that fall outside local plans and housing need has become a norm and sentences communities to live in constant fear of profit driven destruction, including endless appeals from developers should they be turned down. Communities and the environment deserve to have security and fairness. The present system permits a very small number of people to bulldoze over the lives of many and to lose countryside forever. Brownfield sites, are often sat on by developers who would rather rip up more profitable greenfield sites than build within and regenerate existing communities. I cite the Whitbread brewery site in Romsey Hampshire as an example. Green field development continues apace around the town.