Please help!
Dear friends,
Metropolitan Open Land under threat in Richmond – please object – it will only take 2 minutes
Metropolitan Open Land in Whitton, is under threat after the Government bought the land and submitted a planning application to relocate Turing House Free School onto the site. The 6.5 hectare site was last used as grazing land and is adjacent to the local recreation ground. Richmond council steered them to this site, after rejecting a number of alternative brownfield and mixed used sites closer to the school’s catchment area. It is thought that the cheap cost of the land was the determining factor in selecting the site.
- Please put in objections ASAP! The deadline 2nd January.
- You can object simply by emailing planning@richmond.gov.uk (or online). Some suggested wording is below.
Dear Sirs,
FROM : [YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS]
Re: 18/3561/FUL – land at Hospital Bridge Road
I strongly objects to the use of this site for a school on the following basis:
The site is designated Metropolitan Open Land which is protected for Londoners permanently and for all future generations. This is a strategic asset for all Londoners, not just Richmond residents.
The building will also lead to loss to the openness of the adjacent sites.
The site has poor access arrangements and the development is wholly unsustainable from a traffic point of view because it will generate more car trips at a time when Richmond must reduce car trips. It is not planned on a sustainable transport basis.
This simply cannot be regarded as sustainable development because it is far away from the point of need.
No case can or should be made to develop protected land if it is to respond to ‘demand’ or ‘need’ for school places – these are not acceptable justifications given that there is constant pressure on London’s land in terms of demand or need for housing, schools, community facilities, commerce and more. Furthermore, projections for school places are being reduced in most London boroughs and it is unacceptable to justify the building of a school on protected land when there are alternatives including consolidating the many other schools in the borough to ensure they are taking in maximum possible numbers, and not being put in jeopardy because of over-provision.
Yours sincerely etc.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Thank you for your support
Alice Roberts
Head of Green Space Campaigns
www.cprelondon.org.uk
