FORDBRIDGE MONITOR                                                                                      August 2007
Reporting on the Environment Agency and Spelthorne  Council                                                                                                     No 2

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY SELLS ITS FLOOD PLAIN SITE
Huge Housing Estate planned
MP slams it as 'inappropriate'
 If your home is anywhere near to the Environment Agency's Fordbridge Works
YOUR LIFE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE

  The Environment Agency has announced that it has chosen Linden Homes as its preferred developer for the Fordbridge Road Site.  In a Newsletter to local residents on Saturday 25th August it informed us that it had accepted Linden Homes proposals for the site and gave its reasons for doing so.

  The Agency says that it asked potential buyers to come up with 'ideas' for the site. It will come as no surprise that the chosen development was for a housing estate.  That after all has been the Agency's intention from the start.

Who is the chosen developer
  Linden Homes was acquired by Galliford Try in March 2007 for a reputed £245.5 million and Galliford Try is reputedly a £2.3 billion company.  We have a formidable and very rich opponent who wants to grow even richer at our expense.

  They say "We have chosen Linden Homes because of their strong environmental credentials, commitment to sustainable development and track record for good community consultation".
Environmental credentials
  Lets just have a look at Linden Homes' strong environmental credentials
  On our doorstep at Sandy Lane Teddington in fact, The Sandy Lane Site Action Group was formed in 2004 to fight an application from Linden Homes to build a massive development on the ex-Seeboard site in Sandy Lane, Teddington. After lengthy negotiations Linden submitted a more reasonable and well-designed scheme. The new application was approved by Richmond Council in November 2005, helped by support the Sandy Lane Group. Galliford Try bought Linden in 2007 and announced plans for a new and bigger application. (their web site is at http://www.slsag.org.uk/links.shtml.)

What does all this mean?
  It means that Galliford Try (Lindon Homes) will submit a planning application to Spelthorne Council to develop this site as a housing estate.  It is probable that the purchase of the site at a figure which the Agency refuses to disclose is dependent on the grant of planning permission.

How to get the application supported
This is how some developers operate.
1    Submit a massive plan probably including blocks of                    flats which is obviously over-development causing a public           outcry
2    Have numerous meetings with the local people and listen to       their views
3    Wait for the Council planners to recommend amendments to        the plan
4    Submit a much scaled down plan
5    Wait for the 'gullible' residents to give a communal sigh of       relief
6     Submit the real plan that they always intended without                sustained public protest
7    Later submit amendments to that plan to increase their                demands

Just to let the Agency and their planners know that we know how this works in the 'unlikely event' that these 'environmentally conscious' organisations would even consider such rogue tactics!
MP describes Development Plans as inappropriate
At one of his regular "Meet your MP" evenings on 28th August David Wilshire, Spelthorne's MP told concerned residents that he supported them in their opposition to the Environment Agency's plans to sell the Fordbridge Road, Riverside Works site in Sunbury to allow a developer to build a housing estate.

Mr Wilshire described the plans for a housing estate on the site as, 'inappropriate development in a community in which this site' exists.

The meeting was well attended by residents from The Creek, Willow Way,  Park Road, Loudwater Road and from the surrounding area. There were also residents from Wheatleys Eyot who, whilst not in Spelthorne Constituency, would be equally badly affected by any such development.

Jonathan Webster, representing the local campaign to oppose the development told the meeting that the Agency was preparing to sell the site to Linden Homes, part of the multi- billion £ Galliford Try construction group, and that the development was being supported by the council planners as part of their New Development plan.  This is despite there being well voiced and total local opposition to this housing development.  "They ignore our views, they couldn't care less about the local community" he said.

This was supported by many of the residents who will be adversely affected and they sought assurances that their MP would be firmly on their side over this development. Mr Wilshire offered to contact the Agency and arrange a meeting with them and the local residents specifically to deal with this matter.

Mr Wilshire was reminded by residents of the severe floods which are exacerbated by this artificially raised site in the middle of the lower lying properties and agreed with questioners that such building in the flood plain would not be in their best interests.  He expressed his concerns about the extent of home building right across the Spelthorne constituency much of which he described as 'inappropriate'.
We anxiously await the promised contact with local residents by Linden Homes and will advise residents of any meeting arranged with the Agency

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