I was appalled to hear that the Tory-Controlled Beaconsfield Town Council is planning to sell off part of One Tree Meadow and three gardens on One Tree Lane for development.
As a lifelong believer in protecting local green spaces I am fully supporting the campaign to save One Tree Lane from development. The Town Council's decision not only puts wildlife at risk (including bats - a protected species) but also deprives local residents of a much valued green space. This decision has also been rushed through on the quiet in an attempt to stifle local opposition to the plans. I believe that this is anti-democratic.
The decision by the Town Council to sell off this beautiful green space not only contradicts the Council's own policy of not disposing of any publicly owned freehold land but also contradicts the Tory's own national campaign against Labour's so-called "garden grab". The national Conservative Party website states that "local residents and their local councils are increasingly powerless to prevent the over-development of their neighbourhoods, and infill of green spaces" allegedly due to Labour Government policy. Yet here a Conservative controlled Town Council is willingly selling off a green space for development. Let's be clear: it's not Labour who are threatening local green spaces - it's the Tories.
I have written an open letter to the Town Council asking them to justify their decision and to square their action with Tory policy nationally.
I also urge as many people as possible to sign the petition protesting the Council's decision at
www.saveonetreelane.com.
My letter to the Town Council is published below:
I am writing with regard to Beaconsfield Town Council's plan to put three gardens on One Tree Lane and 1/2 acre of the One Tree Meadow public space on the market for development.
As a lifelong believer in protecting green spaces I am appalled that the Town Council has even considered selling these beautiful areas for development. I’m particularly concerned that local wildlife will be disturbed and that the local community will lose a valued public space. With regard to local wildlife, I am informed that the site is home to bats – which you will know are a protected species. The decision to sell this space also appears to contradict the Town Council’s own policy of not disposing of any publicly owned freehold land.
This decision appears to have been rushed through in order to stifle any kind of local opposition. I am deeply concerned that no public meetings have taken place to allow local residents to express their views.
I also wonder how the Conservative-controlled Town Council squares this decision with the national Conservative campaign against Labour's so-called "garden grab". The national Conservative Party website states that "local residents and their local councils are increasingly powerless to prevent the over-development of their neighbourhoods, and infill of green spaces" allegedly due to Labour Government policy. Yet here a Conservative controlled Town Council is willingly selling off a green space for development. The site also claims that "Britain's gardens are under increased threat of being grabbed and covered in concrete". Yet this is precisely what the Conservatives are planning to do in Beaconsfield. Surely this is a contradiction.
To me, and to many residents in Beaconsfield, your decision smacks of hypocrisy.
I would therefore like to ask the following questions:
1. How will the development of One Tree Lane and One Tree Meadow benefit local residents in Beaconsfield?
2. Will you hold a public meeting to allow local residents to express their views on the sale of this land?
3. How do you square this local sell-off of a beautiful green space with Conservative campaigns and policy nationally?
I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Copley
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Beaconsfield
Labels: environment, One Tree Lane
