Letters
South Wiltshire set to be swamped by houses
We are still trying to recover from the shock of discovering that our village of Firsdown (with only 256 homes) is being targeted for a staggering proposed increase in homes - an additional 2,500, one fifth of all the extra homes proposed for the entire Salisbury district over the next 20 years.
This is despite Salisbury district council's pledge that it is not sustainable to allow growth if that destroys the very qualities that make the place attractive in the first place' and that the Area Action Plan will recognise the close relationship between Salisbury and nearby villages without undermining the identity of each through inappropriately swamping or merging different places'.
Why does this logic not extend to Firsdown?
David Milton, planning officer, has now publicly apologised for the incorrect statement that Firsdown desperately needs facilities such as a shop, village hall, pub or school.
Firsdown residents choose to live here because they prefer the quiet of the countryside. We are well served for shops, schools and community halls by neighbouring Winterslow and Pitton.
The claim that housing at Firsdown will provide for additional employees moving to Porton Down is a red herring: only around 800 new jobs are likely, and most staff will have already taken up post long before any housing would be built.
The Core Strategy document acknowledges that the Porton Down development may be
contrary to regional and national policy, thereby making it more likely that Firsdown will be
targeted instead.
Other parts of Salisbury district are being actively encouraged to vote for a Firsdown or Porton Down development by the threat of more housing if that option does not go ahead.
It feels as though Salisbury district council have heavily and unfairly stacked the cards against our tiny village.
Massive development at Firsdown would set a precedent for further development out of proportion to the existing
settlement. Which village would be next?
Absolutely no prior consultation has taken place with Firsdown parish council or any of the
residents about these proposals.
The Our Place in the Future consultation made no reference to Firsdown - so how can these
proposals in any way reflect public opinion?
We can understand that other areas will, quite naturally, seek to protect their own way of life, but it cannot be right to allow a small settlement to take the heaviest burden of housing.
At a packed public meeting, planning officers were left in no doubt about this, and we hope that they will honour their
promise to listen to our objections and act upon them.
Our young people need to have affordable housing, yes, and we are sure that most Firsdown
residents would accept the need for modest housing growth in the future.
A ten per cent increase over 20 years would be 25 homes - ample for a small village like Firsdown.
The only fair and democratic solution is to spread the new housing as evenly as possible across the district.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
I FULLY support the councillors quoted in last week's Journal in expressing their dismay over the council's consultation document on the Core Strategy - Preferred Options. Extending the deadline for comment to April 25 won't mend a process that seems quite flawed.
Clear and complete scenarios and integrated plans are needed to show how Salisbury district could look and then people would have something tangible to comment on.
That requires the preparation of a Salisbury & District Vision and, as so laudably promoted in the existing document, sustainable development principles should indeed be adopted. That means balancing and aligning economic, social and environmental factors.
However, this hasn't been followed through.
For example, it isn't enough to suggest designating some land for business use in Harnham without also setting that in the context of a business future envisaged for the area.
The future economy is itself one of the starting points. Another is the government's target for new homes. If the mix of business and jobs is predicted, then housing, mobility and transport needs follow from that.
The required health, educational, social support and shopping facilities can then be evaluated.
All needs to be considered together and an integrated and workable future laid out for the public's consideration.
I submit that there is no easy short-cut. If integrated planning of this type is outside the council's capacity, an independent planning study should be commissioned.
Without fuller staff work being undertaken, I fear that the area can only stumble into an unplanned and chaotic future which is unworthy and damaging to its heritage.
KEN TAYLOR, Salisbury
YOUR reporter, Annie Riddle, deserves praise for her articles of March 20 and 27 regarding the local Core Strategy'.
It is indeed rather complex, but her highlights did enable one to begin to understand the various complexities and the concerns brought about by the plan.
Within her report, Councillor Bill Moss was quoted as saying the Bishopdown Farm Estate was "possibly not the sort of an estate" that scientists from the Porton establishment would wish to reside.
While understanding the need for all types of new build, the estate has evolved, and now, although not without initial problems, can promote itself well.
A good mix of properties, a 20mph speed restriction, a local school, a community centre, a shop, together with open spaces now exist, and, adjacent along the London Road, there is a well known pub and restaurant chain and a recently opened major health and fitness centre.
A Wilts & Dorset bus service, and the Park & Ride terminus being so close, give added support to the estate. Indeed, many of the younger scientists employed at Porton Down of my acquaintance would love to be able to afford a house on the estate.
I also note that the current Mayor and Mayoress reside there - just the sort of neighbours to enhance any community.
The evening meeting at the Guildhall, of March 18, clearly addressed many concerns, and comments returned to David Milton, at the council or the Regional Planning office will hopefully be met with fair consideration.
I, along with many others, wish south Wiltshire to retain its special character and only if a good response is made with regard to the preferred options' can the most accurate analysis be made.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
3:06pm Thursday 10th April 2008
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CommentPosted by: John B. Pope, Tisbury on 9:09pm Thu 10 Apr 08
Is Name and Address Supplied one person or two?If one has a legitimate point of view why not put a name to it?It is regrettable that so many new houses are designated to be built. Unfortunate for Firsdown if so many are to be built there. It is understandable that Residents feel that if this housing is to be built, it would be far better if it was to be built elsewhere.That begs the question as to where else is a suitable location? There are many young people without homes of their own. Here and elsewhere an established majority have possibly moved as the saying is 'Down Market'. Houses to the |East of Salisbury get progressively more and more expensive.Is it right for those of us who may have bought our homes relatively cheaply, to say' I'm all right Jack' before pulling up the ladder behind us.Salisbury, Tisbury and Gillingham and so on are on a main line Railway. It is a fact thata Railway line attracts commuters.Both Wilton and Dinton used to have Stations. All those locations are liable to receive much more housing.If we are attracting immigrants to the UK. Be they a million from Poland, an unquantified number of Translators from Iraq, or the fine Ghurka Soldiers who wish to settle here etc etc. All these persons do need and are entitled to expect an opportunity to buy into our Community.Excessive immigration is the problem. Be the new comers seekers of Political Asylum all of whom find the Uk. inordinately attractive, or fellow Europeans, one has no wish to be invidious.The recent Parliamentary Report suggested that immigration is of no financial benefit to the indigenous population.No one asked me if I wished to become multi-cultural.
Is Name and Address Supplied one person or two?If one has a legitimate point of view why not put a name to it?It is regrettable that so many new houses are designated to be built. Unfortunate for Firsdown if so many are to be built there. It is understandable that Residents feel that if this housing is to be built, it would be far better if it was to be built elsewhere.That begs the question as to where else is a suitable location? There are many young people without homes of their own. Here and elsewhere an established majority have possibly moved as the saying is 'Down Market'. Houses to the |East of Salisbury get progressively more and more expensive.Is it right for those of us who may have bought our homes relatively cheaply, to say' I'm all right Jack' before pulling up the ladder behind us.Salisbury, Tisbury and Gillingham and so on are on a main line Railway. It is a fact thata Railway line attracts commuters.Both Wilton and Dinton used to have Stations. All those locations are liable to receive much more housing.If we are attracting immigrants to the UK. Be they a million from Poland, an unquantified number of Translators from Iraq, or the fine Ghurka Soldiers who wish to settle here etc etc. All these persons do need and are entitled to expect an opportunity to buy into our Community.Excessive immigration is the problem. Be the new comers seekers of Political Asylum all of whom find the Uk. inordinately attractive, or fellow Europeans, one has no wish to be invidious.The recent Parliamentary Report suggested that immigration is of no financial benefit to the indigenous population.No one asked me if I wished to become multi-cultural.
Posted by: John B. Pope, Tisbury on 9:09pm Thu 10 Apr 08
Is Name and Address Supplied one person or two?If one has a legitimate point of view why not put a name to it?It is regrettable that so many new houses are designated to be built. Unfortunate for Firsdown if so many are to be built there. It is understandable that Residents feel that if this housing is to be built, it would be far better if it was to be built elsewhere.That begs the question as to where else is a suitable location? There are many young people without homes of their own. Here and elsewhere an established majority have possibly moved as the saying is 'Down Market'. Houses to the |East of Salisbury get progressively more and more expensive.Is it right for those of us who may have bought our homes relatively cheaply, to say' I'm all right Jack' before pulling up the ladder behind us.Salisbury, Tisbury and Gillingham and so on are on a main line Railway. It is a fact thata Railway line attracts commuters.Both Wilton and Dinton used to have Stations. All those locations are liable to receive much more housing.If we are attracting immigrants to the UK. Be they a million from Poland, an unquantified number of Translators from Iraq, or the fine Ghurka Soldiers who wish to settle here etc etc. All these persons do need and are entitled to expect an opportunity to buy into our Community.Excessive immigration is the problem. Be the new comers seekers of Political Asylum all of whom find the Uk. inordinately attractive, or fellow Europeans, one has no wish to be invidious.The recent Parliamentary Report suggested that immigration is of no financial benefit to the indigenous population.No one asked me if I wished to become multi-cultural.
Is Name and Address Supplied one person or two?If one has a legitimate point of view why not put a name to it?It is regrettable that so many new houses are designated to be built. Unfortunate for Firsdown if so many are to be built there. It is understandable that Residents feel that if this housing is to be built, it would be far better if it was to be built elsewhere.That begs the question as to where else is a suitable location? There are many young people without homes of their own. Here and elsewhere an established majority have possibly moved as the saying is 'Down Market'. Houses to the |East of Salisbury get progressively more and more expensive.Is it right for those of us who may have bought our homes relatively cheaply, to say' I'm all right Jack' before pulling up the ladder behind us.Salisbury, Tisbury and Gillingham and so on are on a main line Railway. It is a fact thata Railway line attracts commuters.Both Wilton and Dinton used to have Stations. All those locations are liable to receive much more housing.If we are attracting immigrants to the UK. Be they a million from Poland, an unquantified number of Translators from Iraq, or the fine Ghurka Soldiers who wish to settle here etc etc. All these persons do need and are entitled to expect an opportunity to buy into our Community.Excessive immigration is the problem. Be the new comers seekers of Political Asylum all of whom find the Uk. inordinately attractive, or fellow Europeans, one has no wish to be invidious.The recent Parliamentary Report suggested that immigration is of no financial benefit to the indigenous population.No one asked me if I wished to become multi-cultural.
Posted by: Sustainer, Salisbury on 2:59pm Mon 14 Apr 08
Robert Key said, “14,000 new jobs and up to 16,000 new houses are going to be bulldozed through. This time last year the local elections were hi-jacked by emotional appeals to ‘stop Bourne Hill’, ‘save the secret garden’ and ‘spare Salisbury’s green heart’. The same people, now Councillors, have rolled over and are colluding in plans to cover the County in concrete.
He asks that every concerned and angry citizen should contact him and he will fight our corner and be our voice in Parliament.
Robert Key said, “14,000 new jobs and up to 16,000 new houses are going to be bulldozed through. This time last year the local elections were hi-jacked by emotional appeals to ‘stop Bourne Hill’, ‘save the secret garden’ and ‘spare Salisbury’s green heart’. The same people, now Councillors, have rolled over and are colluding in plans to cover the County in concrete.
He asks that every concerned and angry citizen should contact him and he will fight our corner and be our voice in Parliament.
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