Progress Update

Since the last update on this blog the Waterfoot Green Belt Residents Association has agreed a number of key actions and made steady progress in respect of those actions.

1. A letter of objection has been drafted which highlights the key areas of concern and requests full and detailed responses from the appropriate party (generally within Lancashire County Council) - this letter will be issued during week commencing 5th November 2007. Please note, all those who wish to sign the letter and demonstrate their objection should let me know (roger@thomsonfm.co.uk) as soon as possible.

2. A meeting is to be held with Janet Anderson (MP for Darwen and Rossendale) during week commencing 5th November 2007 at which we will make clear our concerns and look to obtain support from Janet in our efforts to protect this Green Belt land.

3. We have subscribed to the Open Spaces Society and have been offered support from their General Secretary (Kate Ashbrook) in respect of our attempts to protect the proposed site.

4. The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) have been approached and discussions with their local representatives have been very helpful. We are looking to ensure that they provide as much support as they can to our efforts.

5. We have been in contact with a number of local and national wildlife protection organisations who have also provided very useful information and assistance and we are sure that they will continue to do so.

6. We have met with Simon Jones (Headteacher at Waterfoot Primary School), Nick Dale (Lancashire County Council Architect) and Catherine Lewis (Lancashire County Council Development Control Officer) and have voiced our concerns. It is clear that whilst Lancashire County Council have a desire to develop the proposed new school on this site, they are fully aware of many of the significant issues associated with this site and, as yet, they have been unable to provide sufficiently robust proposals to mitigate our concerns or to justify the development of this land.

The more local people we can get to lobby against this proposed development the better and as such I would ask you all to do what you can to assist our campaign and to discuss the proposals with your neighbours to ensure that everyone is fully informed.