road protests 2003   |   road protests (current)   |   movement links

Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2003 23:30:42 +0100
From: worthing@eco-action.org
Subject: The Porkbolter, September 2003
Organization: http://www.eco-action.org/porkbolter

[from The Porkbolter 56 - September 2003]

Titnore Stitch-Up

Campaigners call protest over council betrayal

SLIPPERY Worthing Borough Council is preparing to stab the people of Durrington in the back and give the go-ahead to the Titnore housing nightmare.

And it is so scared of the massive opposition to the West Durrington development that it has decided not to stage any public meetings on this vital issue, where people could voice their anger.

An 'exhibition' being held at the planning department's HQ in Portland House, Richmond Road, Worthing (hardly handy for Durrington residents!) is a disgrace - just a couple of leaflets pinned up on a notice board in the foyer.

This pointless display is coming to Durrington itself for just one day, on Saturday September 13, with just one councillor due to be on duty to defend the council's position.

The ruling Liberal Democrats came to power at the town hall in 2002 partly because they said they would take the side of the people against the developers over the proposed Titnore development, as well as on the Asda issue. But now - surprise, surprise! - leader Sheila Player, executive member Bob Smytherman and their cronies have turned out to be just like any other politicians that ever lived.

However, they will not be getting it all their own way. Campaigners are insistent that local people SHOULD and WILL have their say on the council's planned sell-out. POW! (Protect Our Woodland!), the group behind last year's massive protests against the scheme, has announced that it will be doing what the council has failed to do and will be holding its own public meeting and protest outside the council's cop-out exhibition at Durrington Community Centre on Saturday September 13, at 12 noon. John Clarke of POW! invited people to bring banners and placards expressing their views, so the council could be in no doubt as to what the people of Durrington and Worthing think of the development. He said the meeting was essential to allow people to have their say in the face of the council's efforts to bury the whole Titnore issue. And he stressed that the meeting would be going ahead, whether or not the authorities wanted it to. Mr Clarke explained: "When we held the big demonstration last year, we saw a a concerted effort to frighten people off attending and stop them having their say. But we will not be intimidated and we do not believe the people of Worthing are prepared to be intimidated.

"If it gives the go-ahead to this development, Worthing Borough Council will be making a complete laughing stock of democracy. We're going to have to show them what democracy means!" He also revealed that POW! was launching a "stock exchange" attack on the three firms involved in the development consortium - Heron (run by convicted crook Gerald Ronson) Persimmon and Bryant Homes (part of Taylor Woodrow). He suggested their share prices could be "severely dented" by the mass protests and site occupations that would be unleashed if the scheme was given the go-ahead."This would seriously eat into the millions of pounds these businesses hope to make out of destroying our countryside, hand in hand with the traitors at Worthing council."

Contact  info@protectourwoodland.fsnet.co.uk
or go to the POW! website at  http://www.protectourwoodland.fsnet.co.uk

What exactly is happening?

ALTHOUGH no new planning application has been submitted for the Titnore area, there has clearly been a lot of talking going on behind the scenes over the last year.

Worthing council has now issued a "development brief" outlining how it would like the greenfield site to be developed! So much for saving the countryside and this vital green lung for Worthing! Next step is obviously for the developers to put in a plan that amazingly happens to fit in exactly with what the development brief sets out, so the council can wave it through and let in the bulldozers...

The council 'exhibition' runs at Portland House (near Worthing library) until October 24 (Monday to Friday only) and you can pick up comment forms to fill in and send back. You can also ask for a copy of the actual development brief. Alternatively, email your views to wdbrief@worthing.gov.uk

Borough not so thorough

OOPS! Worthing Borough Council's development brief for Titnore/West Durrington contains a real clanger. The Somerset family's well known Holt Farm north of the A27 is described as "Home Farm". This kind of attention to detail really does highlight the competence of the council's planners as custodians of Worthing's heritage...

Give us our say!
Protest/Public Meeting
12 noon, Saturday 13th September 2003
Durrington Community Centre
Tesco complex, New Road

road protests 2003   |   road protests (current)   |   movement links