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www.swindonlink.com - 10 years 5
What’s happening at Lower Shaw Farm?

A year ago The Link became aware that Swindon Council was cooking up a plan to expel the residents of
Lower Shaw Farm so that the site could be sold off for executive housing.
We broke the story on swindon- Swindon in July to be the site of a
link.com and in the magazine at the ground breaking project to build up The Sensible Alternative
end of October and predicted that to 400 high quality eco-homes. to a Skip
the proposal would be greeted by Coun Bluh said, “nobody is more Cheaper &
dismay and a very angry response. frustrated by the delay than me. I Twice the Capacity!
And so it came to pass. The reaction am meeting the Lower Shaw Farm
from readers, people across Swin- trustees with the Chief Executive in ClearanCe, reCyCling & Disposal
of Business & DomestiC Waste
don and further afield, as well as early October; we’re very keen to loaD assist & 24 Hour serviCe
other local media outlets, was an honour the spirit of the agreement a professional ClearanCe
overwhelming ‘hands off Lower made last November.” & reCyCling serviCe
Shaw Farm.’ • The Lower Shaw Farm commu- Call tr reCyCling (sWinDon) noW!
A tsunami of e-mails, letters and Fearing for Lower Shaw Farm, Holly nity cafe is open on Wednesdays TR ReCyCling (Swindon)
‘phone calls crashed into the office Whyatt and Charlie Wilmot from the 10am to 2pm for coffee, tea and t/f: 01793 706447 • m: 07737371393
e: [email protected]
of Swindon Council leader Rod November 06 Link front page light lunches. w: www.trrecycling.co.uK
Bluh from people appalled that Behind the scenes meetings
the farm was being considered for between Lower Shaw Farm trust-
closure. Indeed Matt Holland and ees and the council leader were
Andrea Hirsch, who have run the complemented by a courteous It’s simple!
farm as an educational centre with campaign to save the farm. On 25
residential facilities for over 25 November, the full council agreed 1 You drop it off
years, had been given a few months a resolution affirming its support 2 We sell it on eBay for you
notice to quit. for the activities at the farm and 3 We send you a cheque
Opponents to the plan were com- that the council would seek a way Turn your treasures into cash
pletely amazed by the high-handed, forward to secure its future by and let us sell your unwanted
short-sighted, unimaginative, profit renewing a long term lease of the
led policy, contrary to a council education centre and look at jointly items on eBay for you.
resolution in the early 1980s to retain developing the site with high qual-
the farm as an ecological haven in ity sustainable homes. Call us now 0845 22 694 22
the midst of expansion to the west There has been silence since Let Us Auction It Ltd, BSS House, Unit 36
of the town. whilst the council started to draw up Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, Swindon SN2 2PJ
Just as even more persuasive a planning brief for the site. The Link
environmental and quality of life understands that at a meeting in www.letusauctionit.co.uk
issues were hitting the headlines May a variety of agencies indicated
- as well as the Conservative Party objections to site development, (Only items valued at £35 or more can be accepted)
turning a greener shade of blue though they could be over-ruled
- Swindon Council seemed intent within Swindon Council.
on throwing away an invaluable After another period of silence a
but unsung feature of the Swindon meeting with Coun Bluh and coun-
community in order to carry out cil officers is to take place in early
a ‘re-sophistication’ of a capital October to discuss a consultant’s
asset. report on what is to be done with
Many people used the same Lower Shaw Farm.
expression: ‘they know the price Now, the council is besotted with
of everything, but the value of green issues after Making Rooms
nothing.’ TV star Kevin McCloud selected

Flooded seniors hope for safety

In the last three years retired residents and the warden of George
Tweed Gardens at Shaw Village Centre have been flooded out of
their homes.
Councillors at the West Swindon the stream; it’s now completely
Forum in October heard that in the overgrown.”
monsoon deluge on 20 July four Council engineer Denis Cole told
flats were inundated, one more than the meeting that torrential down-
on the previous two occasions, as pours were regarded as occasional
water from Shaw Ridge and Ram- occurrences in the past but were
leaze overwhelmed storm drains to be expected nowadays. “The
and the nearby Roughmoor brook council will be publishing a flood
overflowed its banks. risk strategy for all of Swindon in
Warden Brenda Poat described October. In the short term at Shaw,
how she was desperately moving subject to the budget authority, we
residents to the group dwelling will be sending a team with chain
common room with assistance from saws and machinery to clear the
firemen, including a ninety year stream.
old permanently connected to an “George Tweed Gardens sits in
oxygen tank, whilst her husband in a bowl and we will be looking at
a wheelchair after a foot operation how to reduce the flood risk in the
watched water come up through longer term.”
the floor of her living room. In the meantime a shed full of
She said, “when we came to the sand and bags has been sited at the
Gardens 15 years ago we could see Gardens - just in case.

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