URGENT APPEAL TO SAVE SCOTTS MEADOW

URGENT: a public meeting has been called for Monday evening (October 10) as Torbay planners are to decide on the future of Scotts Meadow despite pleas to delay the application until new Government legislation and the new Torbay Local plan are agreed.
We will give details of new changes to plan to put up to 200 houses on the lovely meadows off Riviera Way and how you can help.
St Andrews Methodist Church, Monday October 10, 7pm. All welcome.
Torbay planners will be meeting on Monday October 17, 2pm, at Oldway Mansion to decide whether to let the bulldozers on to the meadow. All telephone calls to councillors, letters, placards, banners etc welcome.
For more details ring Martin or Tina Edgell on 01803 615604.

Susie Colley's Support

We have written to all the Mayoral candidates asking for their support.
We welcome this response from Susie Colley, Independent.

Thank you for writing to me last week, seeking my support as a Mayoral Candidate ,  regarding your ongoing fight to retain Scotts Meadow in its natural state.

When I attended the Community Partnership meeting in January 2011, I saw for myself the strength of feeling that people from all over the Bay felt regarding the proposals by Cavanna to develop this site.

It concerns me that despite the decision upheld by a High Court Judge regarding protection of these meadows in September 2003, Cavanna Homes have challenged the judgement.

Having spent many years in Torbay, Scotts Meadow for me represents the natural beauty that attracts visitors to this part of the country.  To contemplate destroying this “Gateway to the Bay” is to my mind an act of vandalism. I understand that you have communicated with those involved with the Torbay Green Infrastructure Strategy asking for the Meadows to be officially recognised as green space in the ward and  that you will press for continued protection in the new Local Development Framework and any Neighbourhood Plan.

As the Elected Mayor of Torbay I will give unequivocal support to all your efforts to retain these meadows, leaving them untouched and unscathed for future generations.

At the Business Forum meeting on the 11^th April, I spoke against any new houses being built in Torbay in the foreseeable future, until there has been an assessment of all the empty housing stock and all that currently approved by planning. If necessary I will challenge the “quota” that has been suggested by the Government, under the Localism Bill. Developers would be addressing environmental issues more empathetically if they modernised and revitalised these properties instead of building on and destroying yet more of our green space. I will also try to ensure that planning officers inform developers to build on any brownfield sites that they own before coming up with plans for greenfield sites. I fully recognise the need for housing those who are not fortunate enough to have their own property, but we must act responsibly and give careful thought to how we use the land as it is an inheritance for our children and many generations to come.

I should welcome the opportunity to visit the meadows at your convenience as it is many years since I have walked on that area. Perhaps you could contact me at your earliest convenience to facilitate this visit. Thank you on behalf of all of us who live and work in Torbay, for your continued efforts to retain Scotts Meadow in its natural and beautiful state.

              Yours sincerely

Mrs S Colley, SRN

Managing Director

  

RESIDENTS REJECT PLAN TO BULLDOZE SCOTTS MEADOW

A PACKED meeting of the Shiphay with Willows community partnership overwhelmingly rejected the proposal for 200 homes on Scotts Meadow.

It was standing room only in the Farmhouse Tavern and our thanks go to the 100 plus residents who turned out to support us.

Ian Pugsley from Cavanna made a presentation on the scheme, and Martin Edgell from the group outlined why we believe the application should be rejected. 

The local community having shown how strongly it feels over a project by the show of hands, we hope and expect the council to listen. Among the crowd were several Tory councillors as well as our ward councillor Lib Dem Colin Charlwood. Both Colin and former deputy mayor Cllr Chris Lewis pledged to convey the outcome of the meeting to the planning department.

PLEASE NOTE: Torbay planners have confirmed the deadline for objections has now been extended a further two weeks to February 11.

Please continue to write in with your objections (see letter to residents below), every letter counts

We have been fighting for ten years to save these meadows, we want to save them for the enjoyment of everyone who lives in Shiphay with the Willows as well as everyone who passes through and future generations.

Meeting Monday January 24 7.30pm

Don't forget the meeting of the Shiphay and Willows Community Partnership will be discussing the new Cavanna Application from 7.30pm at the Farmhouse Tavern on Newton Road.

Torbay Urban Forum

We had a very positive meeting with the management group of Torbay Urban Forum who have offered their support. Check out their website http://www.torbayurbanforum.org.uk/