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From: "Jo Makepeace" (webmaster@schnews.org.uk)
Reply-To: schnews-l@gn.apc.org
Subject: SchNEWS 289, Friday 12th December, 2001
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 12:03:09 GMT
URL: http://www.schnews.org.uk/

Newbury News + 5th reunion picnic 14th January

FULL ON INFILL

We can't believe it either - but it's five years this Sunday since work started on the Newbury bypass, kicking off the biggest anti-roads protest this country has ever seen.

Some of the south east's most beautiful countryside was trashed to build the nine mile £101 million road, which even the Dept of Transport and local council admitted wouldn't solve Newbury's traffic congestion. Still, the road has meant that developers get their greedy mits on a lot of previously inaccessible land. So let the infill begin!

* The town's biggest employers Vodaphone threatened to leave if they weren't given the green light to build a massive new HQ on a greenfield site. The company, who helped finance the pro-bypass lobby, refused to move to Greenham Common because it 'wasn't prestigious enough' and because of the threat of the peace women - two women in an old caravan.

* Trencherwood Homes Ltd. have the council's support in building 1700 houses on land originally laid out by Capability Brown, and which opponents calculate will generate an extra 4,000 car journeys a day. During a Local Plan enquiry it emerged that Trencherwood were one of four building companies who had contributed towards the council's legal fees - which of course has nothing to do with why the council supported the new village.

* Sandleford Park is to be built on a new greenfield site that will get a new college - and possibly a 3-storey Conference Centre.

* Sutton Estates is currently testing the water to get permission to build 750 houses on part of the old battlesite. Local resident Janet Griffen told SchNEWS that the questionnaires Suttons had sent out were so 'loaded' that "people have crossed out all three options!"

Sunday 14th January - Newbury Bypass 5th anniversary reunion picnic

Meet 12 noon Northcroft Park, bottom of Northcroft Lane
tel 07000785201 - http://www.geocities.com/newburybypass/


road protests 2001   |   road protests (current)   |   movement links