Letters to the Stratford Herald

Letter: Why the eco-town won’t work

Stratford Herald, 5 June 2008

Sir: I am writing to state my opposition to the proposed eco-town. I wholly endorse the views expressed by the Bard campaign. In essence, it will not work because:

1. The local employment market is such that it could not possibly sustain an additional workforce. This would be particularly the case with professional and white collar employment opportunities;

2. It would devastate historic Stratford;

3. The road infrastructure is such that it could not possibly support incremental traffic caused by this development given the present heavy usage of the road;

4. The road is already dangerous and unsuitable for the volume of traffic it carries at present;

5. The construction, development and operation of the proposed eco-town in itself will be environmentally unfriendly and the carbon footprint created by the extra traffic density, heating, lighting, etc will more than offset any of the suggested benefits of this type of development.

Writing personally as the largest private employer in the West Midlands (Specialist Computer Holdings plc) with 6,000 persons most of whom in a professional capacity, I can confirm that the Stratford district is a difficult and unsatisfactory commute to Birmingham and its environs.

As chairman and chief executive of SCH, when working in the UK from the group’s headquarters in south Birmingham, it is not uncommon for the early morning and evening journey to take 60-75 minutes, mostly in heavy traffic, from Clifford Chambers to South Birmingham.

My other business interests also include a small group of high quality country house hotels. These include Mallory Court, in Leamington, and more recently The Kings, at Chipping Campden. Each of these hotels contributes to the local economy and importantly attracts and accommodates visitors from both the UK and overseas who visit the area, essentially Stratford, Warwick and Leamington, but importantly to have easy access to the Cotswolds and rural Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Much of this would be denied by the massive interruption of the construction of a large new housing development and associated facilities—even during the construction phase let alone the impact it would have on both the perception of the area and its genuine attractiveness and accessibility when completed and fully developed.

I am completely opposed to the scheme and hope the views of locals who have chosen to make their homes in Stratford and to support the local community, economy and environment will be listened to. It is my opinion that the overall majority are hugely against these proposals.

Sir Peter Rigby,
Clifford Chambers.

Letter: Clear message to the PM

Stratford Herald, 5 June 2008

Sir: Recently, Gordon Brown has promised to listen to the people. Well, the 120,000 residents of Stratford district have sent him a clear message, via the district councillors, that we do not want or need his new town of 6,000 homes imposed on us.

Will our rejection be heard? Not according to John Deegan, the former head of Warwickshire County Council Planning and now lackey to the Bird Group—gamekeeper turned poacher!—who arrogantly asserts that the Developers will continue regardless of the people’s wishes.

Our message to him and others should be that opposition to this outrageous plan will continue until our wishes are heard and acted upon.

Jeremy Mansfield,
Welford.

Letter: Dictatorial Bard should now disband

Stratford Herald, 5 June 2008

Sir: I have been watching and reading with growing disbelief at the arrogance shown by the Bard protesters to anyone who has the nerve to disagree with their ideas. The incident which happened at the meeting on 25th May at Stratford High School and reported by the Herald in which 20-year-old Jamie Francis was laughed at when he suggested maybe we could be more proactive rather than reactive and encompass some of the ideas of the ecotown was the final straw and caused me to put pen to paper.

Even John Maples MP was taken aback by this reaction when he commented: “He must be a brave man for standing up.” This only goes to show the contempt Bard members have to any dissenters to their ideas.

Bard should look at itself intensely and ask whether it is a viable and fair body or just rent-a-mob. I say this because nobody from St Modwen or the Bird Group will meet them in open public forum to discuss the pros and cons of the eco-town due to their concerns that it could turn into a shouting match and disorder due to Bards’ arrogance. What Bard should realise is that there are two sides to every debate and both should be aired fairly.

This attitude is having an effect on the numbers supporting Bard as a turnout of only 182 people for the highprofile public meeting at the high school on 23rd May is shocking when considering the gravity of the issue. Maybe this shows that there is a majority, albeit silent, who are in favour of the eco-town who are afraid to show their true feelings. If this is the case I strongly believe that Bard should disband as they are becoming dictatorial and insular.

Lower Quinton resident.

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