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St. Werburgh Residents rally around the Bristol Eco Village in hour of need.

Bitsofwood | 04.05.2010 17:16 | Climate Chaos | Free Spaces | Social Struggles

The first Bristol Eco Village, located in St. Werburghs, has been snubbed out before it could properly take seed. But never fear, we have many more sites around the city to choose from and will not surrender so easily.

Despite the Judge requesting last Thursday that Chancery Gate, the Landowners, must directly negotiate with us a reasonable period of time to vacate the site, they have not even made the slightest attempt at communication. Literally hours after the court hearing, a notice was posted at the Village gates clamming High Court authorization of an imminent eviction. The legality of this action is still unknown at the time of writing.

However, information has leaked back to us about certain happenings this Wednesday. Chancery Gate will be turning up with private bailiffs, as well as wrecking machinery to level the on site permanent structure that we served a section six on.

Last night a Public Meeting was held in the top room of a local pub. The mane issue at hand was how to deal with the eviction: would our neighbors support a resistance or would they rather we left quietly and caused little disturbance? The over whelming sentiment was YES, they would support us. And not only in thought, but in the hard currency of action itself. A group of residents are willing to stand alongside us when we resist the eviction attempt this Wednesday.

The land itself has been left toxic and barren for years. A regular spot for arson, vandalism and fly-tipping. Not to mention the heron and crack addicts that frequent it when the sun goes down. Despite this, many of our neighbors have used it for summer barbeques and as a place to walk their dogs. Now, out of pure spite, Chancery Gate is threatening to develop it into bland industrial units which will rob the area of a much needed open, community space.

Also of paramount importance are the Great Crested Newts on site. Great Crested Newts are Britain's largest native newt species. They have declined within the UK over recent years, due to the destruction, fragmentation and pollution of their breeding sites and terrestrial habitat. The law protects them from transport, trade, capture, possession, killing, disturbance or injury. The habitats in which they live are also subject to legal protection from disturbance.

The newts are not common in Bristol and the guidelines Natural England laydown, states that habitats within 250 meters of a breeding pond will be frequently used. Not only does the building sit with in that distance, but if the entire site is developed on, a large chunk of the Newts habitat will be crushed under steal and concrete. This land must be protected, for by protecting the land we protect the endangered species that depends upon it.

Upon setting up on the site, the Bristol Eco Village instantly started a conversation in the community about how to use the land. This conversation has now grown into a small movement. The neighbors who attended the meeting last night have lived on the same streets as each other for many years. But last night was the first time many of them had sat in the same room together and been united by a common course.

The Bristol Eco Village projects action on the land in St. Werburghs has managed to unite a cross section of the local community in only a few weeks. We have radicalized a group of people and shown them that united they can wield true, progressive and positive power. This serves to further illustrate the highly effective nature of Urban Eco Villages.

We, at the Bristol Eco Village project, would like to warmly offer our thanks and praise to our venerable neighbors. You have shown great bravery in your willingness to stand alongside us on the front-line when the forces of destruction march. The strength and longevity of what happens post resistance will be found in the beating heart of your united community. We honor you for this.

Bitsofwood
- e-mail: bitsofwood@riseup.net