NEWTON ST LOE CONSERVATION GROUP

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Help the Newton St Loe Conservation Group prevent the destruction of 202 acres of greenfield and farmland just outside of Bath city!

115 acres of Greenfield Farmland in Newton St Loe

Welcome to NSL Conservation We are a group of local people working to protect and conserve the pristine 18TH century village of Newton St Loe (NSL) and its surrounding environment.

The land around our village is currently under threat from a BANES plan to build 2000 houses which could see the loss of 202 acres of Duchy of Cornwall farmland and green belt between Twerton and the Globe roundabout ( SW entrance to Bath)

We believe the government and Duchy should protect farmland and greenbelt - particularly for local food production, as climate change impacts on food security and the cost of food transportation globally

We also believe that the proposed development will undermine the World Heritage status of the city and spoil the special setting of Bath and outlying villages. We want to see the government prioritise and incentivise the use of brownfield sites to meet housing needs, as well as listed buildings, disused properties and industrial buildings.

Help us protect the land around NSL and the special setting of Bath!

What you need to know :

BANES Core Strategy (CS) for development includes the development of 2000 houses on 115 acres of Duchy land west of Twerton, extending to the Globe and partially to the flood plain south of the A4. Houses will be mostly for private sale. Development will be a mix of housing, work places, shops and schools, with no % details of the proportion of social housing being quoted within the CS. Only two options in the planning strategy and both involve urban extension to the south/southwest of Bath. The areas of search evolved from the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). BANES is basing its Core Strategy on economic growth levels set out in the draft RSS even though the Government announced on 25 September 2009 that it will carry out a further appraisal of whether it's proposals for the Regional Spatial Strategy for South West England are the most sustainable way forward for the region.

For a copy of the core strategy and more information go online at: www.bathnes.gov.uk/corestrategy

More information:

B&NES closed the consultation deadline on the 15th of January 2010. What was your feedback? Here are some of the responses to the Core Stratergy document:

English Heritage: “considers the spatial strategy is currently fundamentally flawed, particularly in relation to suggested locations for urban extensions to the City of Bath, and in its present state we would robustly challenge its soundness” more >

Bath Preservation Trust: “The two District-Wide Spatial Options fail to achieve the Council’s stated objective of regenerating brownfield sites ahead of greenfield development (…) The Council’s preferred option for protecting the setting of the World Heritage Site fails to comply with the UNESCO operational guidelines”. more

Corston Parish Council: “considers that many of the objectives in the Core Strategy document are founded on flawed assumptions, contradictory and illogical and therefore unworthy of implementation”. more >

Campane to Protect Rural England (CPRE): “We need to maintain the unique setting of Bath and avoid a sprawl into the surrounding countryside. We urgently need to progress with a Buffer Zone around Bath, the World Heritage Site” more >

NSL Conservation Group: “The solution being proposed of an urban extension is the most unacceptable to local residents. BANES need to review its planning constraints and revise its approach. It needs to prioritise Brownfield development, MOD sites, and maximise use of existing empty properties”. more >

REVD DR CATHERINE SOURBUT Curate of Saltford, Corston and Newton St Loe: "The Duchy is clearly enthusiastic about the possibility of the huge financial gain to themselves if the proposed housing development goes ahead on this National Heritage site currently owned by them." more >

Natural England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE): “The Green Belt is an important environmental resource that, managed effectively, can help tackle climate change, support wildlife and provide health and leisure opportunities for millions to enjoy.” more >

Other Links and reference materials:

Council for Protection of Rural England: http://www.cpre.org.uk
Save our Green Spaces: http://www.saveourgreenspaces.org
Bath Preservation Trust (BPT): http://www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk
RSS documents: http://southwest-ra.gov.uk
"Newbridge Matters", a blog from residents in Newbridge about their environment concerns with B&NES and Bath: http://www.newbridgematters.blogspot.com

About Newton St Loe on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_Saint_Lo

What you need to do:

Support our campaign to prevent the use of farmland and green belt - make your views known to the Council

1) Have your say click here to see our planning advice sheet or download a comments form and send it to email: Planning_policy@bathnes.gov.uk or by post
2) Write to Banes: Planning Policy, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, BA1 4DP
3) Visit the Banes CS events and presentations to learn more and discus the options, calendar of activity here>
4) Come to our meetings and see what you can do to help win the campaign.
5) Write to your MP: Dan Norris MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
6) Join the consultation process online at: www.bathnes.gov.uk/corestrategy

Our Aims:

To conserve the village of Newton St Loe and its traditional English landscape/environs in order to best serve its community and visitors
To represent the views of villagers in NSL to the Government and the Duchy of Cornwall regarding objections to the Regional Spatial Strategy and the proposal to build 2000 houses on the green fields and farmlands adjacent to our village
To protect the green belt on the SW of Bath – It’s ecology, wildlife, farmlands and natural space
To promote the development of brown field sites and urban regeneration as a priority

The NSL Conservation Group

NEWS:

THE NEWTON ST LOE GROUPS CORE STRATEGY RESPONSE
CLICK TO READ IT HERE!

Next Meeting Tues 22nd June 2010
click here fore more info>

Do you want to help?
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
click here fore more info>

BANK HOLIDAY MAY DAY in Newton St Loe 2010 more information>

RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS:

NEW PODCAST: To learn some more about the history of Newton St Loe, you can listen to local villagers re-tell history in the below MP3 podcasts. Just press play to hear the story.

The history of Newton St Loe Part One:

The history of Newton St Loe Part Two::

NSLConservation Group's FINAL RESPONSE (.doc)
NSL Conservation Group's FINAL RESPONSE (.pdf)
Bath Preservation Trust's Response to B&NES (.doc)
Bath Preservation Trust's Response to B&NES (.pdf)
Corston Parish Council Response to B&NES Core Strategy (.doc)
Corston Parish Council Response to B&NES Core Strategy (.pdf)
Planning Advice Sheet (.doc)
Planning Advice Sheet (.pdf)
Comments Form (.doc)
Comments Form (.pdf)
Village Survey 2008 (.doc)
Village Survey 2008 (.pdf)
Questions to BANES Sheet (.doc)
Questions to BANES Sheet (.pdf)
Bath Responce to NSL Conservation Questions

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CONTACT US: PO Box 4432 NSLVAG Newton St Loe Bath BA1 0JZ
TEL: 07901 853 955
Email:nslconservation@live.co.uk

ACTIVITIES TO DATE:- Click Here

2010:
English Heritage: “considers the spatial strategy is currently fundamentally flawed
Friday 15th of January; B&NES closed the deadline for Core Strategy Consultation.
Friday 15th of January; Bath Preservation Trust "Slams" Core Strategy Document: Read More>
Thursday 7th January. Meeting at Village Hall Newton St Loe.
2009:
B&NES extend Core Strategy deadline to Jan 15th due to overwhelming public response.
Public Meeting in Corston village – 3rd Nov 2009, 7.30pm Corston Church 14th Nov 10.00am Globe Inn – group photo for the campaign against the 2000 house build
Regular meetings to discuss and organise forward action
Letters from over 30 households sent to the Secretary of State and to the Prince of Wales
Letters sent to MPs and parliamentary candidates requesting transparency on their position re the RSS and Core strategy
Media coverage in Bath Chronicle/on Bath FM
Representations made on 1st Oct BANES special Council Meeting on the Core Strategy
2008:
Conducted village survey on residents opinions and concerns on RSS; Petition signed by over 110 residents. Both sent to GOSW for public consultation on RSS
Also sent to the Duchy of Cornwall/other bodies

Newton St Loe

Click here to watch the slide show of images that people have taken of the proposed greenfield site where B&NES are proposing the new housing development >