Pictures and press release:
Growing Camp
Yurtiness
Noncaster
Pulling tight
Banging the same old drum - will they ever listen?
Legal Notice: Section 6 - Criminal Law Act 1977
Tes- is a no co!
What did you think?
Enough is enough is enough is enough!
Supermarkets and climate change - now there is a connection!
New road sign
From a distance
No to Tesco!
The last green field...
A site for a supermarket?
Green grass
More green
Talking to the media
Rally in front of Town Hall, Oct. 9
Join in!
From: Lancaster Citizens' Alliance
For immediate release
Mon 8 October 2007
Angry residents occupy proposed supermarket site
This morning Lancaster residents moved on to council owned land in Scotforth -
the site of a proposed supermarket, rumoured to be Tesco's. Locals are shocked
by secret moves in the Council's Cabinet to sell off land at Lawson Bridge, off
the A6. Their message: they will not allow the council to sell off their town
for what they call "dodgy development".
Says local resident Deirdre Mason: "The council may love the idea of Tesco's,
Centros Miller and the Bailrigg Science Park, but local residents are concerned
about the threat to local businesses and the unique character of the city!
These developments will be the death of Lancaster. Time to say ENOUGH! to all
these sordid schemes. Let's send a clear message to all these developers: they
are not welcome in our town."
The occupation will last for 24 hours and will be followed by a protest outside
the Cabinet meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 9th Oct) at Lancaster Town Hall from
9.30am onwards.
Residents are concerned about the way the Council is selling off Lancaster
piecemeal, leading to a town crippled by gridlock, and having only "clone town"
shops that are to be found in any high street in the country. "The council is
blinkered when it comes to recognising the historical value of our town, the
vibrancy and high quality of the local traders." says Stephen Dickinson of
Scotforth. "They sold off our market - it's now half dead. Now they want to see
off the rest of the town centre with Centros Miller's proposed monstrosity and
this mega supermarket in Scotforth. The time has come to say 'Enough!'. It's
time for our councillors to listen to us!"
-ENDS-
For further information please contact Deirdre Mason at the protest camp on:
07798 745613
Photo opportunities:
Mon 1pm at the protest camp, Lawsons Bridge, Scotforth Road, Lancaster
Tuesday 10am at Lancaster Town Hall
Notes for the Editor:
1 The land threatened by supermarket development and currently under occupation
is near Lawson's Bridge, between the railway line and the A6 (Scotforth Road).
Lancaster City Council owns about 5.5acres there, immediately to the south of
Ray's Drive.
2 The land is currently rented to a farmer for use as pasture. It is also well
used by Scotforth residents for dog-walking and other kinds of recreation, and
there is a community woodland area at the northern end which is threatened by
the development.
3 Lancaster Council Cabinet will be discussing the proposed sale in their
Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 9th October. The meeting takes place at Lancaster
Town Hall at 10am.
Comments
Hide the following 7 comments
Good luck
09.10.2007 16:42
Centros Miller are the guest speakers at the Royal Town Planning Institute conference tomorrow.
The Knights of Saint Edmund
Nice work
09.10.2007 18:17
We're fighting off a Tesco down here in Cambridge. Looking around the internet, the anti-Tesco thing really feels like a national campaign.
Check out
Good luck!!
Rich
Homepage:
http://www.nomillroadtesco.org/
The fight carries on (and we will win!)
09.10.2007 19:21
Cabinet Councillors this morning had the guts to refuse even to consult people prior to the sale.
The Conservative leader of the Council, Cllr Roger Mace said "we've had lots
of emails so there has been a consultation already". At this point several members of the public could no longer contain their anger - shouting "that was us contacting you, not you consulting us" and storming out.
Lib Dem Councillor for Scotforth East (which borders onto Lawson's Bridge)
John Gilbert said that "starting to market the land will allow consultation
to take place" and "the public can consult all they want" (sic).
This ridicules any pretense of a democratic system (with the notable exception of our Green Councillors who blew the whistle on the issue and joined in with the protest).
However we are only at the start of this process and already hundreds of people are furious about the plans and determined to resist them every step of the way. We have already fought off two planning applications for this site and we shall do so again.
In the meantime, maybe we all need to reconsider the way we shop - kick the habit and stop shopping at Tesco/Asda/Sainsbury's/etc. Get to know your local shop keepers, support independent small shops, set up food co-ops, before it is too late and they as well as your green fields are gone forever. These supermarket giants are riding rough-shod over communities and the environment everywhere.
To find out more about these issues visit:
Oh, by the way, we've not forgotten about the monstrous Centros Miller plans for our city centre either. We're just as determined to see them off too! More info here:
ENOUGH Is ENOUGH!
Furious of Lancaster
Let us help!
09.10.2007 19:52
Wilkinson
Tidyness
13.10.2007 17:31
Long live Lancaster and it's surrounding greenery.
Anthony Thomson
Wilkinson- get in touch
17.10.2007 07:49
Wilkinson- It's great you want to get involved and help but I don't know how to contact you. Drop me an email at
Thanks,
Jane (Scotforth West Green Councillor)
Jane Fletcher
e-mail:
smileitsjane@hotmail.com
apologies...
17.10.2007 16:56
camper