ERIC PICKLES - HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME FOR HOOK NORTON

Professional politicians are often accused of acting in their own interests in order to ensure they are still in a job at the next election.

Nobody can accuse Eric Pickles of this. He is single-handedly attempting to ensure that there will be NO CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT after the next election. 

The Cotswold village of Hook Norton, just 10 miles from the Prime Minister's own home, has just fought and lost a battle over green-field development against Taylor Wimpey. 

Actually, the villagers WON the planning arguments but Eric Pickles overturned the decision so now they face a sudden 10% increase in village size. Ten percent may not seem many but it represents 70 new houses with 70 new families in a village where the school is full. 

Over 90% of villagers were against the development but Eric Pickles, Champion of Localism, decided that they must all be thick, stupid and not to be considered. They are like ants to be trodden on as insignificant creatures because HE, the GREAT ERIC PICKLES, knows best. 

Why was he able to punish the villagers in such a way? ... Because the local council did NOT have a 5-year housing plan in place. The villagers had NO CONTROL over the local council's progress on the 5-year plan so WHY SHOULD THEY BE PUNISHED?

Rural landscapes, rural villages, and the rural way of life are part of Britain's heritage. Once destroyed it can never be restored. Unlike National Trust properties which are maintained as historic relics, the rural way of life and rural villages are alive and kicking. Nobody is asking for them to be preserved unchanged in perpetuity but they need to be allowed to grow organically. 

Villages evolve. Residents die and vacate houses for younger families. There is no necessity to automatically build houses which change the village character. To do this destroys the very thing which makes people want to live there.

What people find particularly insulting is when politicians, who are elected to SERVE THE PEOPLE decide, like Eric Pickles and Nick Boles, that THEY KNOW BEST. The next election will show who DOES know best!

Should this rural landscape be changed from a food-producing area into

yet another housing development. When top grade farmland is gone, 

where will our food come from?   Population is 67 million & growing!

BALDWINS GATE faces an even bigger onslaught. A development that would increase the village by a third and the population by 50%. 

I have lived in the village for 38 years. We were one of the youngest couples on our avenue when we moved in but gradually, residents have died or moved into care-homes, vacating their houses for younger people. Now I am one of the "older" residents. Rejuvenating a village can not be used as an excuse for destroying it. 

If Pickles & Co can over-ride the wishes of the people and their elected representatives on planning committees, then THIS IS NOT DEMOCRACY!!!

Newcastle Councillor Awareness Campaign

Faced with an attack by land-grabbers who tempt the local farmer with 50 pieces of silver (a bit more than that actually) Newcastle Borough Council planning department faces a dilemma.

Every council is required to have in place a Local Plan - a housing plan to show where its housing will be built for the next five years... updated on a rolling basis. Unfortunately, like about 20% of councils, Newcastle's plan is more in their head than on paper. So whilst they know that they WILL be able to meet the area's requirements and they know WHERE in the borough they NEED to build, it is not a plan that the Government accepts.

This leaves them in a dangerous position because Eric Pickles' Department for Communities and Local Government, which promises "localism" with one hand, also gives developers almost a free hand to ride rough-shod over local planning authorities. This is because Nick Boles, Housing Minister, seems intent to drive bulldozers over the very green fields that Eric Pickles says he will protect.

Baldwins Gate Action Group met outside the Civic Offices to make councillors aware of their campaign to STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF BALDWINS GATE by a development which would increase the village population by around 50%.

LOCALISM

What is LOCALISM? 

In December 2010, Eric Pickles ( @EricPickles ), Minister for Communities and Local Government heralded the new Localism Act:

Localism Bill starts a new era of people power

"The Localism Bill will put an end to the hoarding of power within central government and top-down control of communities, allowing local people the freedom to run their lives and neighbourhoods in their own way.

"The Bill, laid before Parliament today, contains a radical package of reforms that will devolve greater power and freedoms to councils and neighbourhoods, establish powerful new rights for communities, revolutionise the planning system, and give communities control over housing decisions."

Well, Eric, 

it's not working in Whitmore and BALDWINS GATE!

Our parish is a lovely place to be born, to grow up, to live and to retire. 

A survey was conducted to which 85% of villagers contributed to develop our Parish Plan. It covered all aspects of life in the village including HOUSING and BUILDING DEVELOPMENTS. This plan was adopted as part of the Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's planning strategy and as "an extension to the Newcastle under Lyme Local Plan 2011, it is a material consideration in determining planning applications and appeals".

Here are some of the contents:

Housing and Development

There was a considerable amount of support for minor expansion within existing communities, with strong opposition to any new developments. Any developments should be restricted to minor housing expansion with some support for one-at-a-time infill. There was a strong feeling that the status of the Green Belt should not be changed. Existing traffic problems were one of the main reasons given for not wanting any more housing developments.

There was no support for new major housing developments within the parish

The question was asked as to what type of new build would be acceptable; there was a appreciable support for new houses or bungalows to meet the needs of an ageing population. A number of large houses were occupied by people living on their own. These people wanted to remain in the village, but in smaller properties. This in turn would free up some of the larger family properties.

There was a considerable support for houses with "local residents" restrictions including houses for younger and retired people.

As a LOCAL COMMUNITY, WE have decided WHAT TYPE of housing we want, and WHERE we want it. So, Eric, if you believe so much in Localism, why should we be forced to accept a housing development that will increase the size of our village by over one third, that contains NO provision for local young people and little for the elderly, that damages our environment, that builds on prime farming land?

The only thing that can force this through is the "presumption in favour of approval" with which councils are being forced to view planning applications.

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL POLITICAL CAMPAIGN THAT THIS CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT IS RUNNING IS THE ONE BY ERIC PICKLES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE NEVER EVER RE-ELECTED.

All over Britain, there are millions of EX-Conservative voters waiting to cast their ballot.

Find out more about our SAVE OUR VILLAGE campaign at : www.Gateway-net.co.uk