Monday, October 09, 2006
07/06/2006 Local residents protest against Council Office plans
7th June 2006
At 4pm dozens of local residents will descend on Salisbury City Hall today (Wednesday), as public pressure grows to stop Conservative-led Salisbury District Council (www.salisbury.gov.uk) spending £12m on a new Council Office development at Bourne Hill, Salisbury.
The demonstration will take place at 4pm today (Wednesday 7th June), outside City Hall, Salisbury, off Fisherton Street (in the area at front of the Salisbury Playhouse). The District Council’s Cabinet will make a final decision on the business case for the development at the meeting.
Over 1,000 people have signed a local petition against the development and there have been hundreds of letters of objection from the local residents.
If the project goes ahead, objectors claim that a Grade 2 listed Georgian Building will be ruined, 14 mature trees will be lost, a “Secret Garden” by a leading gardener of the 19th Century will be lost and traffic/parking chaos will be caused to local residents. The total scheme is already costing £12 million and the costs could soar.
The plans were turned down by the City’s Area Planning Committee a few weeks ago, but then passed by the Council’s Planning & Regulatory Committee, which has a Conservative majority. The plans have caused outrage in the local community and residents are lobbying the Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly, to intervene.
Local District Councillor Paul Sample, who represents the Ward which is most affected, said: “Although the local planning committee supported residents and turned down the scheme, the Conservatives used their majority on another committee to force the plans through. Local residents are angry that the Council has ignored their objections and is pressing on regardless.
“This move will result in destruction of trees and open spaces, and desecrate a fine Georgian listed building. If he knew about it, Prince Charles would be against it because the plans will put a Carbuncle on the house. This development, by a Conservative Council, makes a mockery of his claims to be going green. Cameron needs to crack the whip and reign the Salisbury Tories in. They are off message.”
At 4pm dozens of local residents will descend on Salisbury City Hall today (Wednesday), as public pressure grows to stop Conservative-led Salisbury District Council (www.salisbury.gov.uk) spending £12m on a new Council Office development at Bourne Hill, Salisbury.
The demonstration will take place at 4pm today (Wednesday 7th June), outside City Hall, Salisbury, off Fisherton Street (in the area at front of the Salisbury Playhouse). The District Council’s Cabinet will make a final decision on the business case for the development at the meeting.
Over 1,000 people have signed a local petition against the development and there have been hundreds of letters of objection from the local residents.
If the project goes ahead, objectors claim that a Grade 2 listed Georgian Building will be ruined, 14 mature trees will be lost, a “Secret Garden” by a leading gardener of the 19th Century will be lost and traffic/parking chaos will be caused to local residents. The total scheme is already costing £12 million and the costs could soar.
The plans were turned down by the City’s Area Planning Committee a few weeks ago, but then passed by the Council’s Planning & Regulatory Committee, which has a Conservative majority. The plans have caused outrage in the local community and residents are lobbying the Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly, to intervene.
Local District Councillor Paul Sample, who represents the Ward which is most affected, said: “Although the local planning committee supported residents and turned down the scheme, the Conservatives used their majority on another committee to force the plans through. Local residents are angry that the Council has ignored their objections and is pressing on regardless.
“This move will result in destruction of trees and open spaces, and desecrate a fine Georgian listed building. If he knew about it, Prince Charles would be against it because the plans will put a Carbuncle on the house. This development, by a Conservative Council, makes a mockery of his claims to be going green. Cameron needs to crack the whip and reign the Salisbury Tories in. They are off message.”
