Letter to 'West Briton' 27.1.2011
Dear Editor,
I disagree with Councillor Alex Folkes’ comments that Fortnightly rubbish collections are a ‘rats charter’, and broadly agree with the West Briton editorial that it is appropriate to ‘reserve judgement’ regarding the proposal pending on how it is implemented. (West Briton 20/1/2011).
Critics of this proposal fail to address three key challenges the council face (1) To increase recycling rates in line with statutory government guidelines (2) To make massive expenditure cuts due to the cut in government grants to local government while trying to protect front line public services (3) To have an alternative waste strategy due to our landfill capacity being reached, and massive public opposition to having the St Dennis waste incinerator.
For me fortnightly black bag collections, coupled with increased recycling helps to ensure the council meets these challenges, and the Green Party have been arguing for such an approach for decades.
People cannot have their cake and eat it. The majority of people do not want to pay higher taxes, yet most complain when vital public services are cut because government does not have the revenue to pay for them. Similarly many are concerned about climate change (especially when they are made aware of the reality of the situation), yet unless they are prepared to change their behaviour to ‘reduce, re use, repair and recycle’ we will face imminent and irreversible global warming. The Green Party have always viewed taking positive action to these challenges as essential for our future.
As a family of four we very seldom dispose of more than one bin bag a week, and we are doing all we can to decrease this. We try to avoid purchasing any item with excess packaging or items we do not need; we compost as much food waste as possible; ensure paper, card, boxes, tins, glass is all recycled; repair items where we can, and where possible reuse or recycle useful but unwanted items to charity shops. This year I want to purchase a ‘Green Cone’ which will effectively break down cooked food waste including meat and fish bones in an odourless way without attracting vermin.
My understanding is the council is also looking to collect food waste on a weekly basis which also will ensure people do not have to fear an increase in vermin. The council also needs to look at ways increase the recycling of some plastics, polythene and ‘Tetra-Pac’ cartons as there are currently limited opportunities for recycling these materials in Cornwall.
People need to rise to this challenge , rather than react in a sensationalist way to this proposal. As a Liberal Democrat Councillor Folkes should support his party’s policies to increase recycling, although U turns do seem the order of the Liberal Democrat approach these days. By changing our behaviour, in this positive way, we can save money, reduce landfill and contribute in a small way to saving the planet. This policy, if implemented, represents a win win for everybody.
Saturday 22 January 2011
Friday 21 January 2011
Letter to Sarah Newton MP regarding proposed redevelopment of the Pendower Beach Hotel.
Dear Sarah,
REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ‘PINK HOTEL’ NEAR VERYAN, TRURO
You may remember me from the general election campaign, when I stood for the Truro and Falmouth seat for the Green Party. I hope you and your family are well, and you are enjoying your new job.
I am writing to you regarding this development which is planned in our constituency. I am writing in a private capacity and not on behalf of the group.
Pendower Beach is a largely unspoilt beach free of excessive development near Veryan. If you have a look on Face book under the ‘Friends of Pendower Beach’ page you will see photographs of this lovely, peaceful place which has been enjoyed by local people and holiday makers for many generations.
The Pendower Beach Hotel closed several years ago, and now the site is sadly dilapidated, and in need of redevelopment. However the site has been purchased by a local developer ‘Johnny Goldsmith’ who plans to redevelop the site as what is basically a holiday village for wealthy people. It is planned that the current buildings are pulled down and a hotel and chalets are built on the site. The developer wants to build well in excess of the existing foot print of the building, with the subsequent significant damage to the local environment. For example it is feared that many of the chalets will be positioned along the currently undeveloped valley. It is also of concern that the development will in effect take over the beach, and local people and other visitors will not feel welcome to relax there. It is also proposed that an existing ‘Land Rover track’ across unspoiled and undeveloped fields is turned into a road for the hotel staff and guests, which will cause further damage to the local environment.
You are undoubtedly aware that the Roseland is a more or less completely unspoiled part of your constituency. Local people and regular visitors want to keep it this way as this is part of its attraction. There is a fear that developments such as what has been proposed will enable other developers to submit other plans due to any precedent that could be set. The only potential ’benefit’ of such a development is the creation of local jobs, which is largely a red herring. Many of these would be low paid, and as one local hotelier has informed us, would most likely be seasonal, and not an attractive proposition to those in the local community.
As a consequence of this proposal a group ’ Friends of Pendower Beach’ has been formed. A public meeting was held at Veryan Sports and Social Club last night which attracted in excess of a hundred people. The group which was formed only several weeks ago now has over 400 supporters. To date the group has been successful in ensuring two proposals have not been submitted to planning.
At the meeting people stated:
Any new development should not exceed the existing foot print of the current buildings. If possible the main building is retained.
The design of any buildings should be in keeping with the local environment.
The development should be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment so this area of outstanding natural beauty and wildlife is protected.
Consideration must be given not to increase local traffic
Any agreed development must be final, and the council must ensure that subsequent planning applications cannot be made to extend the development, or result in other developments by other parties.
There should be no more than 30 bedrooms in total on the site.
Any part of the National Trust car park should not sold to the developer for the hotel.
The beach is public property, and active consideration must be given by the developer and the planning department to ensure it is not effectively ‘taken over’ by the development. The beach must remain to be enjoyed by local people and visitors for the future.
If the developer does not agree to such local concerns alternative uses should be actively considered for the site.
During the election campaign I was pleased you were supportive in protecting Cornwall’s landscape and unique heritage. I was also pleased that you shared many of my environmental concerns. People at the meeting last night represented a wide cross section of the local community, and I am sure had a wide spectrum of political views. However we were all united that this development is potentially wrong and damaging for the local environment.
I would be grateful if you could support this campaign and help the group to oppose this unnecessary and potentially extremely damaging development to our local environment. I would be interested in your views on this matter, and whether you would support the campaign.
Many thanks for reading, and once again my best wishes.
Yours sincerely
Ian Wright
REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ‘PINK HOTEL’ NEAR VERYAN, TRURO
You may remember me from the general election campaign, when I stood for the Truro and Falmouth seat for the Green Party. I hope you and your family are well, and you are enjoying your new job.
I am writing to you regarding this development which is planned in our constituency. I am writing in a private capacity and not on behalf of the group.
Pendower Beach is a largely unspoilt beach free of excessive development near Veryan. If you have a look on Face book under the ‘Friends of Pendower Beach’ page you will see photographs of this lovely, peaceful place which has been enjoyed by local people and holiday makers for many generations.
The Pendower Beach Hotel closed several years ago, and now the site is sadly dilapidated, and in need of redevelopment. However the site has been purchased by a local developer ‘Johnny Goldsmith’ who plans to redevelop the site as what is basically a holiday village for wealthy people. It is planned that the current buildings are pulled down and a hotel and chalets are built on the site. The developer wants to build well in excess of the existing foot print of the building, with the subsequent significant damage to the local environment. For example it is feared that many of the chalets will be positioned along the currently undeveloped valley. It is also of concern that the development will in effect take over the beach, and local people and other visitors will not feel welcome to relax there. It is also proposed that an existing ‘Land Rover track’ across unspoiled and undeveloped fields is turned into a road for the hotel staff and guests, which will cause further damage to the local environment.
You are undoubtedly aware that the Roseland is a more or less completely unspoiled part of your constituency. Local people and regular visitors want to keep it this way as this is part of its attraction. There is a fear that developments such as what has been proposed will enable other developers to submit other plans due to any precedent that could be set. The only potential ’benefit’ of such a development is the creation of local jobs, which is largely a red herring. Many of these would be low paid, and as one local hotelier has informed us, would most likely be seasonal, and not an attractive proposition to those in the local community.
As a consequence of this proposal a group ’ Friends of Pendower Beach’ has been formed. A public meeting was held at Veryan Sports and Social Club last night which attracted in excess of a hundred people. The group which was formed only several weeks ago now has over 400 supporters. To date the group has been successful in ensuring two proposals have not been submitted to planning.
At the meeting people stated:
Any new development should not exceed the existing foot print of the current buildings. If possible the main building is retained.
The design of any buildings should be in keeping with the local environment.
The development should be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment so this area of outstanding natural beauty and wildlife is protected.
Consideration must be given not to increase local traffic
Any agreed development must be final, and the council must ensure that subsequent planning applications cannot be made to extend the development, or result in other developments by other parties.
There should be no more than 30 bedrooms in total on the site.
Any part of the National Trust car park should not sold to the developer for the hotel.
The beach is public property, and active consideration must be given by the developer and the planning department to ensure it is not effectively ‘taken over’ by the development. The beach must remain to be enjoyed by local people and visitors for the future.
If the developer does not agree to such local concerns alternative uses should be actively considered for the site.
During the election campaign I was pleased you were supportive in protecting Cornwall’s landscape and unique heritage. I was also pleased that you shared many of my environmental concerns. People at the meeting last night represented a wide cross section of the local community, and I am sure had a wide spectrum of political views. However we were all united that this development is potentially wrong and damaging for the local environment.
I would be grateful if you could support this campaign and help the group to oppose this unnecessary and potentially extremely damaging development to our local environment. I would be interested in your views on this matter, and whether you would support the campaign.
Many thanks for reading, and once again my best wishes.
Yours sincerely
Ian Wright
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