Plans are going ahead. Four monstrous warehouses covering 100 acres of farmland and towering 85 feet high are heading our way. They will be visible from all the local roads, some homes and will blight local views. The pollution from the HGVs, vans and cars using the site will impact on the local area where another 1,750 houses are to be built in the near future. More carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and particulates will be in the air that we, our children and grandchildren will be breathing. AND it will be happening in an area where the local council is committed to being CARBON NEUTRAL by 2030!!!
But with your help, your local action group CAGE hopes we can stop it happening.
Some ideas as to how you can help with the campaign:
- Read the public consultation documents published online (Basingstoke and Deane, Planning Dept., Ref: 20/02/162/OUT).
- Consider again your concerns and objections – see the CAGE website for issues. (300 letters of objection have been written).
- Call our helpline: 0208-638-6131 if you have any questions.
The CAGE team meets regularly to keep up-to-date and move ahead with the campaign.
What’s happened so far:
- The CAGE website has been set up to share news articles and encourage feedback.
- With the help of many volunteers 6,000 + leaflets alerting people in the area to what was happening have been delivered.
- Following introduction from CAGE the Parish Council has consulted professional experts who have produced a report on the proposal. This was shared with us.
- CAGE experts have examined all relevant documentation to look at planning, landscape, hydrogeology, ecology, highways and transport.
- Communication channels via print, email, WhatsApp, press and social media are in use.
- Relations with local MP Kit Malthouse, local councillors and the Planning Dept at Basingstoke and Deane Council have been established.
- Community walks to view the site have taken place.
- 300 letters of objection, were received by the local council. Most of these came from the western area of Basingstoke.
Funding
The setting up of a bank account is underway but it is a slow process due to Covid-19 restrictions and this has inhibited fund-raising. We will need to be able to fund promotional material and expert help soon. There will be a donate button on the website asap.
However, as an intermediate plan, we can accept pledges which will be an active way for people to support the campaign. Please call on 0208-638-6131 or email: team@cleanairgreenenvironment.org or complete the form on the contact page of our website, if you feel able to help.
If you or your friends and neighbours have any fundraising ideas, we would be delighted to hear from you. Some ideas: book stall outside the Village Hall on a Saturday morning; a mammoth cake stall ditto the Village Hall; sponsored runs, walks or cycle rides, Auction of Promises, sponsored Zoom quizzes.
How are we fighting the proposal?
We have a number of powerful arguments which include:
- Absence of an updated local plan for this area
- Concerns about HGVs backing up and/or blocking local roads when there are hold-ups on the M3 or when waiting to access the site.
- Transport infrastructure
- Landscape and visual impact
- Environment and ecological impact
- Water resources
- Power supplies
- There are other personal arguments you may have – use them.
All these arguments are relevant to this site and should be significant when fighting the development. Specifically CAGE considers the proposal is:
opportunistic, reactive, insensitive and not part of an intelligent and well-designed overall plan for the future of the western area of Basingstoke.
In conclusion:
CAGE will continue to work behind the scenes, researching, and developing arguments. We will keep information flowing on our Facebook page and website and will continue to spread the word. We do have powerful arguments supported by local politicians and residents alike. With the help of everyone working together we really can make the decision-makers think again about this monstrous development.
CAGE Comms. Team, September 2020.