Radley Lakes Resistance
richarddirecttv | 27.01.2007 12:06 | Ecology | Free Spaces | Oxford
Update (15/02/07): Tree felling and preparation work has started, and sporadic actions are taking places to try to block this work. More help is needed.
Update (06/02/07): The eviction took place on Tuesday 6th February. Bailiffs wearing balaclavas smashed their way in through a set of downstairs windows early in the morning, but it still took them several hours to clear the house after one of the squatters locked on. "We may have lost round one but we will re-group and consider our next course of action. We are not finished yet[...]" - quote attributed to one of the squatters by the Oxford Mail.
URGENT CALL to defend the occupation of Sandles, Thrupp Lake.
On Wednesday 24th January, energy company RWE Npower was granted an order to evict this lakeside property with immediate effect. Meanwhile, at the property extremely robust defences are being built with a view to delaying the destruction of this area of outstanding natural beauty. This is an URGENT CALL for people to join them in resisting the coming eviction. Please phone the site mobile 07772 055 384 straight away.
Npower, who run the notoriously polluting Didcot Power Station, want to fill the lakes with toxic fly ash, a by-product of coal-burning.
A massive campaign by local people has been ignored by both company and the authorities. Oxfordshire County Council has so far facilitated npower's dumping. The habitat is home to many protected species, including water voles and rare orchids. There have been reported sightings of otters. Further expertise is requested to gather further evidence of the ecology of the lakes. Boats are also very welcome at the site.
Links: Eviction expected | Videos: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] | Photos | Court Report | Occupation and background | Older Report | Campaign Website | Map
Radley Lakes
richarddirecttv
Additions
Join a Cycle Ride to Say No to NPower's "Criminal Damage" to Radley Lakes
05.03.2007 19:56
Cyclists in Oxford are invited to congregate in Broad Street, Oxford City (OX1 3AS) outside the Oxford Campus Store, at 12.45pm on Saturday 10th March, 2007, while walkers from Abindgon and Didcot are invited to congregate at
1.10pm in Abbey Meadow (OX14 3JE) in Abingdon to hear speakers, then walk to Thrupp Lake. The cyclists will proceed toward Radley Lakes, with bells, whistles and banners, coinciding with a march by Save Radley Lakes the same day at Thrupp Lake at
1.55pm.
Everyone is welcome to join the cycle ride as a planned show of support for the campaign, and the ride will end at the lakes. Bring bells, whistles and banners if you can. The ride will take place at a leisurely pace.
Radley Lakes have been used by Oxonians for over 30 years as a leisure site to walk, cycle and enjoy the environment. NPower has filled all the lakes east of the railway with ash, and now it wants to destroy the remainder in the same way, completely destroying habitat for many species of birds, fish, animal, and plant.
News of the cycle ride is being broadcast to Cyclox, Critical Mass, Sustrans, CTC, and of course Save Radley Lakes.
Cyclists are angry that the NPower's damage to the lakes will also ruin the beautiful views of the lake environment on the Sustrans cycle route than runs between two of the lakes, and there are reports that NPower's site workers are already taking liberties with the cyclists "right of way" blocking the path to cyclists.
An experienced cyclist will lead the ride along an official cycle route from Oxford to Thrupp Lake
(distance 5 miles).
Feel free to forward this message to people or groups who you think might be interested, or email
jon.rees@gmail.com Please send me an SMS on 07970 893371 if you intend to join us.
See you Saturday,
Jon Rees & Martin Wilson
Route:
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/leaflets/Hanson%20Way.pdf
Jon Rees
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
update
07.02.2007 22:31
The campaign continues...
Squat evicted 6th Feb - see posting
Latest Update 14/02/07 Trees being cut down at Radley lakes
14.02.2007 11:33
Yesterday an otter survey was carried out by English Nature on behalf of Npower, because they failed to carry out a thorough survey during the initial ecological survey. However despite otters having been seen and other evidence of otters using the lakes, none have been seen to be present at this time and it was thought unlikely that they would use this area for breeding. During the survey trees along the lakeside where covered in tape to prevent birds breeding and today a wood chipper and other equipment arrived at the re-possessed Npower property. Further to this a notice as been placed on the gates of the property stating that “Vegetation Clearance Underway for Next 2 Weeks”. Workers have been seen surveying some of the 1000 trees that surround the lakes. However this is despite local people filing a Town Green Application and an injunction preventing work until a decision is reached on this. We are asking for people to visit the lakes and help support locals and others present and help prevent the destruction of these beautiful lakes.
Sterl
2 quick actions
16.02.2007 11:44
Npower now has an injunction which has been served on some of us. Npower's heavies (Shercurity - anyone come across 'em before?) have been enforcing the injunction and anything else on their minds. You can recognise them by the face-masks and masked registration plates on their vehicles. Can start to feel powerless, but
Ask 1. Power of the (indy)media: Thursday 16th they were getting heavy with anyone trying to photograph the destruction of the nature reserve. Sc they have silenced local people and protestors but can they silence all of us? Can you get to Thrupp lake, Radley, Oxon and take footage and photos and post them here and everywhere?
Ask 2. Power of the customer: Many of us once encouraged our friends and family to join Juice, Npower's green electricity tariff. I was wrong. Can we now put as much energy into getting friends, family and - hell - complete strangers to tear up Juice and Npower contracts? Call Npower's Juice team on 0845 120 2755. OK, so they are paid not to understand why destroying a nature reserve is un-green, but anyway tell them why you've switched and will be getting everyone else switching unless..
Another manic tree preacher
malcolm carroll
e-mail:
malcolm.carroll@btinternet.com