Page 5 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • February 2011 5
What were you thinking?

This might well be the question asked of us by our grandchildren in just a few years. With Swindon and Wiltshire Councils preparing new
planning frameworks, Richard Pagett of environmental group Purton P&Qs says they should look long into the future
Given we now know that climate change, population increase and diminishing natural resources stare us in the face, we cannot afford planning
core strategies of both Swindon and Wiltshire Council to be agreed unless they refl ect the serious realities that we face as local communities,
as a nation, as a planet.
We have to plan bearing in mind just look at the west of Swindon in the west (and no realistic economic egy (RSS), housing developers and
the government Foresight Commit- which the core strategies for both case to change that); Wiltshire planners seem intent on
tee’s reports on food security, water councils have a common interest: • The nearest motorway junction playing some last chords despite
security and energy security, and the • Thousands of houses are still to be (16) is running at full peak-time being completely out of tune with
PROOF OF ARTWORK • Lack of adequate water supply ported’ the aspirations of the RSS
the times. The studies that ‘sup-
really big one on land use.
capacity;
built to the north of Swindon, and
These reports take a forward look to be sold to the south;
and sewage infrastructure to sup-
to 2030 and articulate how we must • Infrastructure originally built for
for development to the west of
think now about the availability of West Swindon, and now expected to port what we have now. The list Swindon are now framed by out
food, water, energy and land use cope with the Northern expansion, does go on and on. of date ambitions. Whilst there is
AGREEMENT NUMBER : 11014 PL is creaking under increasing strain; Although the last rites have been some value in those studies, they
when making plans.
The general assumptions of • Lack of any major employment in read for the Regional Spatial Strat- must be re-worked to take in wider
unending economic considerations - not the
growth, inward migra- demands by developers
ADVERT DETAILS tion and business-as- to build more and more
usual are now history houses.
Put simply, the core
- from the publication
ADVERT SIZE : QUARTER PAGE If you need to discuss the advert, I am available 9:30am-4:30pm strategies of Swindon
in 1968 of Swindon - a
TOWN : SWINDON study for further expansion Monday to Thursday, Friday til 3pm. and of Wiltshire are not
(the ‘Silver Book’ re-
VENUE : JOLLY ROGER Call 01772 842099 or reply to this email with any alterations. fit-for-purpose unless
they take into account
port), through to the last
DESIGNER : GREG WHITE local economic forecasts,
government’s Regional
Spatial Strategy in 2009. local inward migration
These, with hindsight, patterns, local housing
were unrealistic and needs, local food security,
should play no further local water and energy
part in the serious busi- security - set against the
BROCHURE ADVERT PROOF backdrop of national and
ness of future develop-
ment planning.
international impacts.
The evidence is star-
tlingly clear even if we Continued on page 6

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