Please support the campaign to stop housing at the unspoiled Cavalry Park site between the Covenanter garage and the Colzium estate - check on the main website of www.kilsyth.org.uk and follow the green link to the capaign page. We need a few emails of support to make the planners sit up and take notice - your help will really make a difference.

Rob

WHAT A FANTASTIC WAY TO PROMOTE "OUR COLZIUM" FOR US, VISITOR'S AND TOURISM THAN BY HIDING IT IN A HOUSING ESTATE.
WHO GET'S THE AWARD FOR DIS-JOINTED THINKING??
IT'S NOT Mr Dean
THIS IS A PRIZED ASSET,
I HAVE 2 PET'S IN GRAVEYARD.
WHAT NEXT???

DEAR MR KAY I AM VERY MUCH AGAINST HOUSES BEING BUILT NEAR THE COLZIUM ESTATE. KILSYTH ONLY HAS THIS ONE PLACE OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY WHICH THE LOCALS ENJOY. WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS TO HEAR ALL THE HUMDRUM OF HOUSEHOLD AMENITIES I.E. CARS ETC ON ITS BACK DOORSTEP.THE MAIN ROAD IS TAXED ENOUGH AND WITH THE OTHER NEW HOUSES ABOUT TO BE BUILT WE DO NOT NEED MORE TRAFFIC ON THIS ROAD. I HOPE THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT ME AND STRONGLY PROTEST AGAINST THIS PROJECT.

Thanks Mary, you are quite right. we need all the letters and emails of support we can get to fight Wimpey - they have a lot of money at stake in this so we will need every bit of support from local residents. Few local people will be able to afford luxury houses at this price - £100,000 pounds and up. Please could everyone reading this send me your email address or street address so that if needs be, we can organise a public meeting or letter writing campaign to stop Kilsyth turning into a suburb of Glasgow.

Rob

Hi Rob,
I have sent a email to Tom Barrie objecting to the proposed housing developement at Cavalry Park. We must not allow Cavalry Park to be bought over for such a developement. We have to save and protect the natural beauty and the history of Kilsyth,especialy the Colzium Eastate and surrounding area.
I feel this campain should be publicised more, many people are not aware of this, Let the Kilsyth folk be aware of what we could loose and hope they respond with their protest against this developement.
A Merry Christmas . Isabel

There is a serious shortage of housing in Kilsyth. Try looking for a reasonably priced 3 bedroomed family home and you'll see what I'm on about. I adore Kilsyth and would not live anywhere else. Have lived here all my life and I fully appreciate the countryside Kilsyth has to offer. I do not think for one minute that Wimpey building on this site would blight the Colzium Estate. If anything - I think it would enhance it. All you who object must be very happy with your current house - LUCKY YOU - Spare a thought for those who NEED accommodation. Mr Tom Barrie has my full support.

Hi Rob
I read in the Chronicle that North Lanarkshire Council has now given Wimpy Homes time to justify their proposal for housing on this site. I've previously e- mailed Tom Barrie and Martin(?) Dean at their NL offices and suggest you post the addresses again so that others can do the same.
Mr Dean replied promptly, but gave no real information, just commenting that no decisions had been reached.

This has to be widely publicised so that people can be aware of the threat to our greenbelt and act to protect it. Does anyone have ideas on how to proceed so that a planned response can be organised?

WITH SO MUCH PUBLIC FEELING AND CONCERN LOCALLY, NLC PLANNING RECOMENDING IT BE DROPPED, NLC COMMUNITY SERVICES EXPRESSED CONCERN, THE CONSULTANTS APPOINTED BY NLC TO DEVELOP THE ESTATE SAYING IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL AND HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON COLZIUM AND A LOCAL CAMPAIGN BY KILSYTH COMMUNITY COUNCIL OPPOSED TO THIS DEVELOPMENT, WHAT IS OUR LOCAL MEMBER CLLR BARRIE DOING TO ENSURE THIS PROPOSAL IS STOPPED?
WHO IS PUSHING THIS FORWARD AND WHY? (£££££)

I understand that (and this is based on heresay as I have not spoken to either of them directly) Cllr Francis Griffin is opposed to the proposals and Tom Barrie is supportive. I am unsure why Cllr Tom Barrie appears to be supporting the proposal, but I have written to him to ask what his position is on the issue and it would be helpful if you could all do the same.

His email address is barriet@northlan.gov.uk, but I think he is more likely to respond to snail mail. His address is 3 Belmont Street Kilsyth G65 9UP Tel: 01698 302634 Fax: 01698 302468

could any-body please tell me the latest news on this site; there have been a few plug holes done on it and the fence has been torn down next to footpath and not replaced;
who gave permission to change some of the pitch and put holes for mountain bikes to practice their skills on ; who do we contact to find these things out;
and well done to cathie craigie for standing up to her bosses that should help her in the forth-coming elections if she should stand as an independant; woof-woof; gr-------

i would be against the whole site being built on but a row of nice houses along the main road would be ok

A SMALL LOCALIZED DEVELOPMENT OF A ROW OF NICE HOUSES ALONG ROADSIDE COULD BE OK, BUT THAT WOULD SOON PROVE TO BE THE THIN EDGE OF THE WEDGE AND THE ESTATE WOULD SOON BE SURROUNDED.WE NEED TO STOP THIS NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ESTATE.
TOM BARRIE SHOULD BE LOOKING AFTER KILSYTH AND ITS PEOPLE RATHER THAN MR WIMPEY'S INTERESTS.
HAPPY VOTING IN MAY.

Ifthey can build 200 houses in the middle of the countryside, where is safe?
Is this Derek McKenna any relation of our Rosemary?

what is the position regarding this , does anyone know?
I was told , yesterday , planning consent has been granted for a house next to the garage. is this the start?

according to the latest information, the house by the petrol station has got planning permission. Unfortunately, NLC is still listing Cavalry Park as one of the sites identified in principle as having the potential to meet the alleged "housing shortfall" in the so-called conurbation which includes the Kilsyth area. - There you go, in planning terms we are part of Greater Glasgow now. It is known that Wimpey is preparing a master plan and planning application submissions, but the timescale is not known. That said, the area is definitely sited within the local plan greenbelt.

Please write to David Porch, Director of Planning and environment, Area Office, Bron Way, Cumbernauld G67 1DZ to register your objection to this proposed scheme on the grounds that it breaches the green belt. All letter really do count - the more the merrier. Alternatively, please email deanm@nothlan.gov.uk now, and please copy in the Community Council at the above email address - we may need all the help we can get on this one when the application actually comes in.

Thanks, Rob

WHY IS THIS BEING EASED INTO THE PICTURE WHEN SO MANY ARE AGAINST THIS DEVELOPMENT?
WHAT ARE OUR ELECTED REP'S DOING TO PRESERVE THIS PLACE-- NOT A LOT.
DOES PUBLIC OPINION COUNT ANY MORE?

PUT THEM ALL ON THE SPOT.

Good question Mr. Petrie Just who is in charge?People of Kilsyth someone is not doing a very good job of representing you. Write ,Phone,E-mail,Do something . Let your voices be heard.Do not let them put houses on Cavalry Park . Start going to Council meetings show them you care.That is your right.
scotchgranny

now come on; the site is an eye-sore so what do the people against the housing want to put there eh------
they have even stopped putting cows in there because they were up to their udders in water; a couple of nice rows of houses would be fine; i;m all for progress but don;t worry folks if it takes as long as the main st fiasco------ it will be a long wait ;gr---------------

houses in calvery park?
some future resident will complain about noise pollution .and stop it.
enjoy while it last's.

It's pretty obvious that the Green Belt theory does not apply to planning departments of local governments. Let's face it, most of these jokers live in little boxes cramped together on some hillside where they never see green grass or appreciate a bit of countryside, so what the heck would they know about the value of some bare field to the local inhabitants.
It appears that British authorities are completely blind when it comes to planning towns. Take a look at Cumbernauld New Town & East Kilbride ( to mention only 2 monstrosities ) Gone is the character of the old villages and towns that we often see in TV programs, in their place are straight rows of boxes with NO imagination in their design. Yuk!
NO more housing schemes in the Kelvin Valley, PLEASE!

With all due respect to the venerable " Chronicle ", the fact is that most people get their news from the TV, and to me this sounds like something a TV station might be interested in. " Small town versus conglomerate to maintain one of the towns assets " namely Colzium estate.
Have you ever noticed that one of the ways to disperse cockroaches and other vermin is to shine a bright light on them, in this case a TV cameramans light.

George Miller

What a great idea Mr. Miller, but how do we go about it?Over here we have call" channel 3 we`re on you`re side" Wonder if they have such a answer to there delema over there.Maybe some TV station will pick up on your suggestion and have a go at it. It`s worth a phone call. We shall see.

In response to concerns, a Public meeting is to be held at Burngreen Hall next Wednesday Oct 29th, at 7.30pm - please try to attend.

I fully support this campaign by Rob Kay.

Whilst I am from Australia and have not been to the site myself, I am a biologist and can recognise significant habitat when I see it. If you have also not been to the site, then visit: http://www.kilsyth.org.uk/Environment/save_cavalry_park_campaign.htm
for more information.

We cannot keep sacrificing our heritage and our environment to development. It's not the answer to the housing shortage. When the next generation come along, and you have used every spare bit of land for housing, where will you build next? And where will you all go for a bit of peace and tranquility when all you can see around you is houses or other developments?

And what about the local flora and fauna in the area. Surely they have as much right to exist as humans do... who are we to clear what little habitat they have left for homes??? Why do people constantly consider themselves to be so much more important than any other species? It is this very problem of environmental ignorance that is causing global environmental catastrophes such as global warming, salinity, water pollution - need I go on?

Of course it is a problem here too, Australia is also constantly battling inappropriate developments. Not enough people are seeing the bigger picture. Not enough people are considering what the future holds, in comparison to only caring for what may happen in their own lifetime.

I believe that the people in support of this development are probably associated with the developers in one way or another. How could anyone in their right mind want to see this beautiful asset go to yet another lot of houses? How could people not turn up to a simple little meeting to save this park from destruction???

To those of you who oppose this development - good on you, you are truly gems! I encourage other people to be just as open minded, and to consider the future - yours and those of the next generations.

Linda B

Thanks Linda, and other folk who are writing in from all around the globe to help. Linda, your letter was published in the Chronicle this week and has greatly helped to raise awareness.

The meeting last night was very well attended, and there was a vote with 90% support for the campaign. there were lots of useful suggestions about issues to raise with the planners, and I would like to thank everyone for turning out. I'll put a full report on the website soon.

The main way you can all help the campaign is to persuade as many friends and relations as possible to write or email in to the planning department with your objections - its a numbers game now. The main point of the campaign now is to kill the appication dead by the end of November, otherwise we may have a long dragged out Appeal process.We all have better things to do than spend our entire free time fighting Wimpey Homes, but right now there doesnt seem to be much choice but to campaign as hard as we can.
Cheers, Rob

Last Wednesday night I attended a public meeting in the Burngreen Hall, Kilsyth which was organised to discuss the proposed development at the “Calvary Park”, Stirling Road Kilsyth by George Wimpey. The meeting was well attended and I think that I am right in saying that all but a few of those attended opposed the plans. To be honest, I’m not against house building, but I feel that if they were located here it might have an adverse affect on the area.


One of my main concerns is the traffic on Stirling Road (A803). As a primary road link in the area it has always carried lots of vehicles. However, in recent years this has grown considerably (including a noticeable increase in HGVs) as the A80 near Cumbernauld has become more and more congested. I live on the south side of Stirling Road, opposite the site in question and since there is no contiguous public footway on my side of the road, I have to cross it to walk safely into the town. Just now, during busy periods it can sometimes take three or four minutes for a safe gap in the traffic to appear to allow me to do this. Taking account of the natural growth in traffic along with the traffic that will be displaced when the planned improvements are carried out to the A80, I fear that in the future it will become almost impossible for me to cross the road safely and really difficult for me to access my property with my car. I understand that it is also proposed to build roundabouts along this road at the entrance to the “Waterfall Village” which is currently under construction and at the proposed access to Wimpey’s site. While I accept that this will slow traffic, contributing to road safety, it will also group vehicles together further reducing the gaps and exacerbating my problems. I am therefore of the opinion that this development is premature until the long awaited improvements to the nearby motorway network are completed.


Numerous other reasons for refusal were raised at the meeting, some I feel valid and other less so and while I appreciate that North Lanarkshire Council has to meet it’s quota of new houses to satisfy the ever increasing demand, I firmly believe that this is not currently a suitable site for development. The Council recently undertook a feasibility study to see how it could improve the facilities at Colzium Estate and encourage more people to enjoy this wonderful asset. One of the recommendations made by the consultants was that the Cavalry Park should remain as it is and should not be built on. I fear that if houses are allowed to be built here it will spoil this beautiful setting and ruin what could be the jewel in Kilsyth’s crown. I cannot understand the Council’s reasoning and the local councillor’s determination that this area should be changed from the greenbelt to residential use.


While most obstacles can be overcome at a cost, somebody killed in an accident can never be replaced and ground of natural beauty destroyed cannot be restored. I therefore feel that George Wimpey should be refused planning permission to construct 159 houses at this site, on the grounds that it will compromise road safety and detract from the amenity of the area.

In all this discussion I have not seen any mention of getting the local MP involved in this important confrontation with Wimpey. is this the type of issue that they are paid to intervene on behalf of their constituents, or is this handled at a lower level where they have no power to intervene. Just asking

George Miller

i look forward to the day that the district of cumbernauld and kilsyth is reunited with dunbartonshire instead of being shackled to lanarkshire

Well, in that case I hope you are a good deal younger than me, because it aint gonna happen.

A very good response from the public today - around 200 people signed letters opposing the application today at the farmers market and we shall be presenting these to NLC in due course. I dont think they can dare to ignore this overwhelming weight of public opinion. But wwe still need more - individual letters and emails are better than mass produced ones, so keep 'em coming.

Rob

Just to let you know folks, that I've set up a campaign on the new BBC Website 'iCan' with regard to the save Cavalry Park Campaign. It may be viewed at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ican/Club124

Please regsiter, and provide us with support in every which way you can in order to beat Wimpey from our doorstep.

Brian Taylor
Minute Secretary
Kilsyth Community Council

Apparently the Planning Committee will consider this application in February - I will keep everyone up dated when I have more news.

Either way it will most likely go to the Scottish executive for a formal Inquiry and we have already received some powerful messages of support from MSPs (you know who you are!)I think with the fantastic support we have received we can give Wimpey a good run for their money (and it is a lot of money - the site alone cost them at least £750,000, so it could end up being quite an expensive nature reserve, though doubtless they can write that off to tax when they have to donate it to the Community!)

Visited the site today - saw heron, two kestrels, buzzard, lots of other smaller birds - it really is an exciting prospect as a nature reserve and I feel that this is what we should be pushing for.

Rob

www.theherald.co.uk/14834.shtml - 23k - 26 Apr 2004
The Editor, The Herald
200 Renfield street,
Glasgow G2 3QB

Dear Sir,

Planning Applications and Appeals

Councillor Robert MacBean is absolutely right that there is a lack of understanding by the public of the planning system. (Letters, April 23) There are plenty of opportunities for the public to comment on both plans and applications. A problem only arises when the agreed plans and the legitimate objections of protestors are swept aside for reasons which remain a mystery. Some environmental campaigns have been dragging on for years because private developers and local authorities with almost limitless resources at their disposal are hoping to wear down local ciommunities through attrition and fatigue, rather than the strength or validity of their arguments.

Cavalry Park is a scenic part of the Kelvin valley, is designated Green belt and is an integral part of the ancient Colzium estate. Yet a 1998 reporters inquiry decision, and Local Plan support, for the continuing Green Belt designation of Cavalry Park has been ignored by the planners and elected councillors, who have done everything possible to hand the land over to housing developers, despite overwhelming local opposition.

A report to North Lanarkshire Council dated 2nd Feb 2004 shows that North Lanarkshire has 414 vacant and derelict sites covering 1509.25 ha - the largest surplus of any Council in Scotland. 3.2% of North Lanarkshire’s total area and 12.8% of North Lanarkshire’s urban area is vacant and derelict. North Lanarkshire contains 30% of all the vacant and derelict land in the Glasgow and Clyde Valley area. Over 50% of this land is capable of being developed over the next five years.

The Regional and Local plans make a clear preference for the use of derelict, vacant and brownfield sites over Greenfield and Green Belt land, and state that areas of scenic, heritage and wildlife interest are to be preserved. Furthermore, the planners argument is not based on proven local need (which is for smaller households and affordable social housing) but rather that the Cavalry Park development is required to meet a mobile shortfall which could be provided anywhere across the Glasgow and Clyde Valley planning area.

Given these contradictions, the support by North Lanarkshire planning officials and committee for Wimpey Homes application to build 159 four bedroom executive homes in this stunning location is nothing short of scandalous.
Further information and photographs are available at http://www.kilsyth.org.uk


Yours sincerely,


Robert M Kay

Sleep tight.
Merry Xmas,
OOHHH!!!!
You did not close the back door.
My "friend's" will not let me down.
SEE YOU SOON.

Aye, that'll be right, and we'll be waiting for you with open arms, and give you another warm Kilsyth welcome - "Go homewards, tae think again"

I agree that the land next to Colzium should be protected for the community to enjoy but I also must support the council to free up land for housing.

There appears to me to be a solution to both the needs of the council to make available more land for housing and for the community to retain the valuable land bordering Colzium Estate. Has anyone noticed that there is a large swath of land directly to the South of the proposed Cavalry Park development which is surrounded by housing already and provides little to no amenity value to our residents? It lies where the word KILSYTH appears on multimap, I have no idea how to imbed a hyperlink to this response and so I have listed the link at the bottom of this response.

The land is still in private ownership (or so I believe) but if the owner could be persuaded to submit this land for planning approval, given that it is ALREADY bordered on 3 sides by existing housing, surely that would alleviate all these issues? It looks to me that this area is 50 odd acres at least and would therefore deal, at a single stroke, with all of our expansion needs for years to come and would finally take Cavalry Park off the map for good.

If Wimpy have spent money on Calvary Park (rather than an option on the land) then it is simply a matter of time until they find the loopholes to complete or find the cash or influence to erm, work around it. Unless another solution presents itself. Just a thought.

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=274000.773102597&Y=678000.589604638&width=700&height=400&gride=271752.773102597&gridn=678212.589604638&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=25000&left.x=5&left.y=140

Run run as fast as you can,
you can't catch me
I'm the Wimpey-man.

Don't blink--
i'm comming
(holiday time is a good time to slip in)

MR W

DID THEY SUBMIT A NEW APPLICATION?
WHY IS ALL QUIET?
WHO WANT'S TO BET THAT IN THE NEW DRAFT LOCAL PLAN DUE OUT
IN NOV 06, BY A MIRACLE (OR CORRUPTION) THE SITE BECOMES
A "DESIGNATED HOUSING AREA" OR WHATEVER NAME THEY WANT TO CALL IT,
TO SUIT THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR MASTERS

HEY DAMNED DOG, WHERE ARE YOU? GRRR

MR WIMPEY IN HIS GREAT GENEROUS POST XMAS SPIRIT IS NOW
SPENDING £10'S OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS ON PROTECTING
COLZIUM FROM THEIR FORTHCOMING DEVELOPMENT BY BUILDING
A 6 FOOT POST AND RAIL AROUND THE SITE.
THIS WILL PROTECT THE OUTLOOK FROM COLZIUM,INSTEAD OF AN
UGLY BUILDING SITE,VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT--
A NICE FENCE.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL KEEP THE DEER OUT, TAKING CARE OF
ANOTHER PROBLEM.
THEY ARE NOT SPENDING THIS MONEY UNLESS THEY ARE PRETTY
SURE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
SHOULD A FENCE LIKE THIS NOT REQUIRE PLANNING?
MAYBE THEY ARE GETTING A GRANT FRON NLC

well it's cavalry park and waterfall whatever,
and nothing else,no options.


http://mars.northlan.gov.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/report/045046.pdf

about page 82

NEWS FLASH----

DAVID PORCH IS LEAVING AS DIRECTOR OF NLC PLANNING.
ANYONE FOR A SWEEPSTAKE ON WHO HIS NEXT BOSS WILL BE?
HE COULDN'T POSSABILY GO THE SAME HIS PREDECESOR STAN?,
AND GET A JOB WITH WIMPEY.
OR IS THE JOB DONE?

NICE FENCE

DOG WHERE ARE YOU GRRR

Thanks for the link ;-)

Cavalry Park is in there all right: under the heading:
HCF 3A: 2004 Housing Land Supply

So NLC is ignoring the Reporters Decision - or more likely taking the (probably legally correct though morally bankrupt) line that that decision related only to the last application, and that The Wimp can keep coming up with new designs every year or three.

Well, the interesting thing is whats not in the plan - Green belt proposals for one thing. It was the green belt and the provisions on stately homes that saved us last time around - and on Page 10 it says:

1.4.3 Further Work
Work has started on the following studies that will inform topics in the Finalised Plan:

,.......Greenbelt review


So that could be a key battleground.

In any case, the overall policies in the Plan itself are very helpful - an admision that 10% of all our urban land is derelict and that green spaces and greenbelt should be preserved will certainly help our case. I agree its all very threatening, but I think we will continue to fight and win.

"2.2 It is anticipateted that the application will be placed before the committee in April, however !!! to avoid delay !!! it is !!!considered appropiate!!! , that the commitee determine now the request for a hearing" ie now in March ??????

http://mars.northlan.gov.uk/
Are they really taking the piss?
If it came up in April it would be carried on for a site visit and hearing.
Site visit and planning hearing would be later on in May.

After May 3 the people in power who are promoting the site, may,
and in the case of T Barrie wont be there.
Now there is a risky proposition- given vast expense on a new fence (etc,etc),
Oops-- I droped a brown one.

The site will be passed by the comittee.
Any objections will be ignored.
New "people" will take over "the reigns of power", and will not rock the boat.
Scottish Exec will call in the application.
The site is zoned and only site zoned locally in the forthcoming local plan.
It will be deemed inappropiate and unneccesary for an identified site,
to go to public inquiry as this would be a waste of public funds.

Remember "they have to be accountable".
(unless we elect them)

The hearing and a site visit are scheduled for Friday the 13th April...unlucky for some...

Referral to the Executive is automatic, as I understand it in this case where the application is in breach of the current local plan and green belt and is strongly opposed by the Community Council and virtually all of the citizenry.

Auotmatic but ineffectual, due to the way they have worked it.
Due to the exclusive zoning in the new local plan,
Scottish Executive are very unlikly to call for any inquiry.
All that has happened before is irrellevent,
This is a new application and will be treated in its own merit,
wrt the current but more importantly forthcoming local plan.

Done Deal

Unlucky Fri 13th for Colzium and CPark.
Happy voting

As I see it the Green belt review required in the draft local plan is at least a year away from publication - so its still classified as green belt, in which case its more or less automatic that Ministers will recommend another Public inquiry. Or have I missed something here?

I wonder if anyone can get hold of Cathie Craigie and the SNP candidate Jamie Hepburn and ask them what their views are and what they would do if they are elected..

Unlucky Fri 13th for all the NLC dinosaurs, who refuse to listen to local opinion or move with the times, the Age of The Beasts is finally coming to an end. Whatever they vote (and I think we al know which way they will turn!) is completely and utterly irrelevant - even political Vigra wouldnt give any potency to that sad old bunch. At least I will be voting for Francis Griffin, who almost uniquely on the planning commitee stands up for the environment and public opinion.

Happy voting !!!!

Last I heard Francis G had fell into line and supported
the party, thru Tom Barrie's efforts to ensure Wimpy sucess.

Put them all on the spot before the election,
waste of time, its done before any election.

Done deal

(there once was a film, "voting with the enemy",
or was that sleeping?, yawn, done deal.

From: Ray Gunnion
Sent: 08 April 2007 17:02
To: Rob
Subject: Re: Solidarity Scotland: Green belt - Kilsyth


Hi Rob,
I passed your enquiry onto Lynn and her comment is pasted below:

"I would, if elected, be more than happy to meet with the local residents to
discuss how best to deal with this situation."

I have also sent your email to Denis Reilly who is standing for Solidarity
in the Bothwell/Uddingston ward and has a similar
problem in his area to the one in the Kelvin Valley.

We also have a local ward candidate, Jack Doyle, standing in the
Strathkelvin area.

Yours

Ray Gunnion
Regional Secretary
Central Solidarity

Denis's email address is denisreilly75@hotmail.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob
To: raygunnion
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 8:28 PM
Subject: Solidarity Scotland: Green belt - Kilsyth

>
> I have just received the papers from NLC concerning the revised
> application by Wimpey to wreck the setting of the Colzium Estate by
> building 160-odd houses at Cavalry Park. This proposal, should it be
> approved, would destroy the green belt which is pretty much all we have
> left to protect our identity and prevent the entire Kelvin Valley becoming
> part of Greater Glasgow.
>
> Despite two positive outcomes to Public Inquiries in recent years, the
> planning officials have once again recommended approval, making a travesty
> of the whole planning process and running roughshod over the vast majority
> of local feelings and a great deal of expert opinion. How many more times
> do we have to gear up another David v Goliath campaign against this
> combined juggernaut of Wimpey Homes and NLC?
>
> If you are elected, how would you help protect our unique heritage at
> Scottish Parliament level from commercial exploitation for profit and help
> other communities fighting to save their environment and heritage?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Rob

Re Chronicle 2 May page9,
One of Tom Barries last acts in power -
to name the street's in Cavlry Park.
Now thats nice of him.

But he missed out one street-

"TOM BARRIES WAY."

Exactly...see my letter in the next weeks Chronicle on exactly similar lines, but with a twist in the tail.......graffitti artists will be having some fun for many years at Toms expense.....

RELIABLY INFORMED THAT THE SCOTTISH EXEC (AKA GOVERNMENT)
WILL TOMORROW ALLOW NLC PLANNING TO "RUBBER STAMP" THE APPLICATION FOR
CAVALRY PARK HOUSING, NOW THAT THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES RAISED BY SEPA
HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED TO THEIR SATISFACTION.

WELL DONE MR WIMPY

THERE IS NO FIGHT TO FIGHT.
DONE DEAL.

(you heard it here first)

Great News - thanks for posting an update

Well they sky didnt fall down yesterday, and the wee bunny rabbits are still gambolling across Cavalry Park, so either this information is duff or nobody could be bothered to publish it anywhere yet.....can you back up the claim Deep Throat?

SORRY FOR THE DELAY,
JUST TOOK TIME TO FILTER THROUGH.

DONE DEAL

Well, lets see. If it has indeed been done and dusted, thats a very sad reflection on the value that the current government places on the two formal reporters enquiries that have been held, and on the green belt restrictions on new development, let alone the value of consulting local communities. I wonder what the two green MSP's who are propping up this minority SNP government think about it....time to play some serious politics maybe.

The word is that Wimpey have given up and are moving on to pastures new.
Now it is Barrat Homes who have taken on the site and are pricing up the job
for a start in the new year.

Thanks for the news .... very interesting. Its great to have played a small part in stopping Wimpey from turning a £10M profit at the expense of our Green Belt - they really are rotten builders.

However The Ombudsman wrote recently and spent two pages saying that NLC was acting within their powers by releasing the site for housing. Well, we can't really challenge that judgement, but whilst NLC have been given the benefit of the doubt they certainly dont come up smelling of roses as a planning authority by forcing this development through against the wishes of the vast majority of local folk.
Barratt will have to come up with the capital and also a new design - which will need planning permission. Plus they will need to build deep foundations in the peat and have a business plan that makes sense given the amount of unsold housing currently on the market... I have a feeling this might take years...

Waterfall Village also seems to have ground to a halt .... I'm glad I don't work in the housebuilding business these days and I feel sorry for the folk who depend on it for a living as well as the young couples desperately trying to get onto the housing ladder and those who are losing their homes through repossession. Boom and bust is no way to provide for decent affordable homes for our people.