Our campaign to protect the land This website is concerned with a patch of land in Tilehurst, Reading Berkshire, UK, that has been the subject of controversy for a decade. The campaign to protect the land from development has the support of locals, the Council and the MP. The land has landscape value, is a valuable green lung and is needed for recreation. Previously used as allotments, the owners have not let this land since 1998. It is now a pleasant oasis for wildlife. Reading Council's position - 1998 The Reading Council decided they opposed any development on the site in 1998, although this protection is not written into the Local Plan at that stage. Now the Plan is being updated as the 'Local Development Framework' ; the site allocations document is being prepared. This document identifies land use, so when adopted by the Council will determine whether housing is permitted. The Council have allocated a long time for this ( and other controversial issues ) to be considered. The final decisions will be made in 2011, probably after a planning inspector has made some key rulings. The owners and the planning application - 2000 The site is owned by a charity, the Tilehurst Poor's land Charity, who sold a ten-year option to purchase to George Wimpey Ltd in 2000. Britains biggest builder prepared a planning application to build 52 houses and 9 flats on the land in August 2001, but they withdrew the application just before the planning committee was due to consider it. Stay alert Be ready to have your say and send in your letters. It was the massive public support that swayed the Council in the last decade, we must not give up now. Stay alert. January 2008
This is the land that time has forgot Where people come to dig thier plot Take home cabbage, peas and shallots There are old sheds and corrugated tin where blackbirds and robins nest and sing There are grass snakes, slow worms, hedgehogs and foxes That look for mice in old wooden boxes. This is the land where we pay our rent And know our money has been well spent We grow onions, potatoes and rhubarb too And there is always some left over to give to you A land that sometimes gives you an aching back But every weekend we all come back What will the pensioners, who have worked this land for so long What will they do when it is all gone To build a car park is a folly They are only in it for the lolly The Co-op car park will take 300 cars And we all know it's not that far So, join with me and take a stand Don't let tham take this precious land. John Kirton March 1998

Email: SaveOurOpenSpace@hotmail.com

Email: SaveOurOpenSpace@hotmail.com