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Ford Ecotown

Walberton Action Group goes to Westminster June 2008

On 30^th June, I joined CAFÉ (Communities Against Ford Eco-Town) on a coach trip to Westminster to demonstrate against the Government’s proposed Eco-Town at Ford (5,000 or more houses stretching from Yapton to the river Arun).   CAFÉ had done a brilliant job, providing not only posters, banners and a cardboard cut-out ‘town’, but also teaching us a protest song – ‘we don’t want no Eco-Town’ – based on a song by Pink Floyd (‘The Wall’).   See www.nofordecotown.blogspot.com which has a link to a video about the demonstration, also to the CAFÉ website and the online petition.   

WAG has sent in a letter opposing the Eco-Town.  The main arguments against the Eco-Town are: it’s not a ‘brownfield’ site; it bypasses the planning process; it’s a rejected development proposal in a new ‘green’ guise; it would cause  loss of identity of Ford, Yapton and Climping in a new urban sprawl, and extra strain on services and roads;  the waste-converting power station would mean hundreds of lorries bringing in waste.    At the District Council’s Select Committee I gave evidence about two other arguments – landscape and biodiversity.   A new town right up to the west bank of the Arun would destroy part of the wonderfully scenic Arun valley, still undeveloped from Pulborough down to the sea.   And the wildlife of the area itself and of surrounding areas such as Binsted Woods (SNCI) and Climping Gap (SSSI) would be badly affected.   Binsted Valley, where Jan Wood and I have been birdwatching for the WAG Bird Survey, is a paradise for birds: the valley would be ruined by the Eco-Town as the new railway station would be built at the south end of it. 

CAFÉ are now in dire need of more funds to continue their good work.   Delegates from here and other areas are meeting the Minister, Caroline Flint, on Monday.   The consultation process may be extended to October.   If you can help, send a donation to: CAFÉ, PO Box 123, Arundel, BN18 8BF.   Do email me for more information on emma.tristram@dsl.pipex.com.  

Emma Tristram   June 2008

WAG NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2007

Editorial: Your Committee would like to pay tribute to the great contribution made to the development of WAG by the late Martin Bond, who died in June. He was our treasurer for the last few years as well as being a past chairman; he was an indefatigable walker of our footpaths and put together the excellent Walks around Walberton; he also designed and established our WAG website which gives such a wealth of information about our village. Martin’s energetic contributions to our community will be greatly missed.   We are still looking for someone to step forward to take over as Hon Treasurer of WAG – if you can help please contact our chairman, Peter Brown. We are delighted that John Bushrod has already taken over the website and is planning a number of improvements.

Walberton Place Entrance Gates: Pater Hatley and Emma Tristram are taking this project forward. Originally this was the main entrance to Walberton Park from Yapton Lane and therefore of some importance to the village. The feature is of even more interest because of the graffiti on the side pillars scribed by American servicemen stationed there in WW2. It is sad that they are now in such a poor state and something of an eyesore. With the cooperation of the various landowners, WAG are hoping to put together a funding package to set back and restore the gates, repair the brick and flint pillars and carry out more repairs to the roadside wall. Rough estimates have now been obtained from local contractors and Peter and Emma are now contacting a number of potential grant providing bodies.

   Drawing by Maria Levey

Binsted Wildflower Walk: Jan Wood and Emma Tristram spent some time last year monitoring the wildflowers to be seen along the footpaths of Binsted. They have now produced an enjoyable booklet which takes you on a couple of circuits of that unspoilt corner of our parish. The booklet provides a checklist of plants you might be able to identify on the walks and is enhanced by some attractive illustrations by Belinda Wilkins. The booklet was launched at this year’s Strawberry Fair and has already sold well – you can get your copy at the Post Office for £1.

Proposed South Downs National Park: WAG’s recent major landscape project (2004-6, involving much tree and hedge planting) has been a factor in the possible inclusion of more of Binsted in the proposed South Downs National Park.   The Inspector’s Report, recently published, proposed adding all the previously omitted woodland (the southernmost linear copses of Binsted Woods), and five more fields.   He said: ‘Unlike other parts of the coastal plain, this area also benefits from the programme of landscape restoration work that has been undertaken in recent years.   This work has strengthened key landscape elements such as the mature hedgerows that help to give the local landscape a clear sense of place.’   The Inspector’s decision, if confirmed, may help repel any further moves to put part of the Arundel Bypass through Binsted.

Walberton Bird Survey 2008: Many members enjoyed an excellent meeting earlier this year when David Hart and Jim Bagley gave a slideshow of birds likely to be seen in this part of Sussex. They also led us on a Dawn Chorus Walk in late May. These events were all part of our wish to carry out a survey of birds in Walberton Parish – naturally including Binsted and Fontwell.

     The main thrust will be to comprehensively survey the parish during the breeding season – March to July. We hope to recruit enough volunteers to cover the entire parish – they will be allocated a patch which they will aim to walk every month of that period. All the results will be brought together into a report in a year’s time.   For anyone interested in this project there will be a meeting at 7.30pm on Tuesday 9^th October to be held in the Meeting Room at the rear of the Village Hall. There will be a non-competitive quiz and refreshments. Please contact Peter Brown if you would like to help but cannot get to the meeting.

     To get the wider village involved we will start the year by promoting the annual RSPB Springwatch, which usually takes place at the end of January. A bulk supply of the forms and guidance notes will be obtained for distribution and collection in the village. We hope that the village school will also take part.

AGM: Please note the date of this year’s AGM – Wednesday 7^th November.