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Lammas Newsletter, December 2008 |
Nadolig Llawen
Happy Christmas |
Letters/ e-mails of SupportFor Lammas’ Third Submission This is our last go at achieving planning permission through Pembrokeshire’s Low-Impact Development Policy 52. Even a brief letter would help us hugely in our endeavour to make this a reality not only for us, but for you, as well. Help us demonstrate that there is support from all over the country and around the world for this project. Let's create a viable, visible precedent! Please write to: Include the following planning reference in your letter: 08/0962/PA And simply indicate your support for the project. If you are
able to add your reasons for supporting the project, please
do. Don't forget to include your full name and postal
address. To: planningenquiries@pembrokeshire.gov.uk Message: I would like to register my support for the Lammas project….. Yours sincerely, You are of course welcome to add any extra comments about why you think it's a good thing. Cc'ing us in will mean that we can keep track of how many supporting letters we have. If you can email document files of hard copy letters, while not absolutely necessary, that would be helpful, as well. If you know anyone else who would be inclined to support us then please let them know. All letters need to be received by Christmas Eve |
Pembrokeshire Climate Change Event
Lammas members, Jasmine Saville and Paul Wimbush presented the Lammas proposal to attendees of a local climate change day in Narberth. Paul and Jasmine reported a great turnout of people with lots of support for the project. |
Lammas NewsThird Time Lucky
On 21st November, 2008, the Lammas group submitted their third application for a low-impact hamlet of smallholdings in Pembrokeshire. Project coordinator Paul Wimbush said; “We are simply determined to succeed. We have now spent over 700 days working with Pembrokeshire County Council and will do whatever it takes to get this project up and running. Unfortunately the Council have been very obstructive to date but we are optimistic that this may change. They have created a new low-impact policy that allows new-build eco-smallholdings, now they just need to let people use it.” In March 2008 Lammas submitted an application for 9 eco-smallholdings and community hall near to the village of Glandwr, North Pembrokeshire. In September the group was refused planning permission and had then tried to appeal to the Welsh Assembly. However, due to a ‘technical oversight’ on the part of Pembrokeshire County Council, the application was registered without an “access statement” and the Planning Inspectorate ruled that the group could not appeal because without this statement, the application was not valid. In an attempt to resolve the situation
the group had written an open letter to Jane Davidson, Minister
for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing, asking her
to intervene. However, she was unable to intervene due to the
same technicality, which effectively rendered the application
invalid. “Its ridiculous that innovative projects like this face such bureaucratic hurdles. It would have been easier to apply for a power station” said Cassandra Lishman, one of the project organisers, “We have spent two years in the planning system and have not yet had a fair hearing. This is a brilliant project that deserves a chance.” The new application is more than 1,500 pages long and includes reports from the Soil Association, WWF and leading experts in permaculture. Project Coordinator Paul Wimbush goes on: “This application is really important for Pembrokeshire and the fact that last time we received over 850 letters of support demonstrates that. We are facing a global sustainability emergency and business as usual is not an option. We need innovative research projects like this so that we can work out how to create a green society.” Please help us demonstrate the importance
of this application to the planners by writing a letter of support.
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Low-Impact NewsA Prosperous Way Down? A One-Day Conference on Wednesday 28th January 2009 at City Hall, Cardiff The range and complexity of problems that face us as we attempt to achieve a sustainable Wales can seem insurmountable. But positive solutions are available, and here in Wales we have the historic opportunity to build a new economy which generates real, lasting wealth without costing the Earth. The aim of this one-day conference is to raise awareness of the wide range of alternative economic approaches available to policy-makers. With contributions from some of Wales and the UK’s leading Green economists and Futures specialists, we will explore what Wales could look like if our economic planning was rooted in an evidence-based understanding of the limits to growth, and oriented around a creative and positive response to the challenge of post-carbon living. The conference is free and open to anyone who wants to help envision a green, equitable and sustainable economic future for Wales. To register by Friday 16th January 2009 please contact Tom
Thornton at Science Shops Wales A Green New DealThis excellent report was published by the New Econmics Foundation earlier this year. It anticipates the economic difficulties experienced this autumn and outlines a plan to address the 'perfect storm' of climate change, peak oil and the credit crunch. The title and inspiration for the report come from Roosevelt's New Deal program which brought America out of the great depression with unprecidented public spending. The Green New Deal suggests a similar level of public investment, this time in 'green' technology funded by corporate taxation. It also describes a radical restructuring of accounting and banking systems with a move back to much smaller, community supporting, institutions. The report recommends that our government had one year in which these measures could be introduced to avoid more serious catastrophy. It is available to buy, or download from the New Economics Foundation website. |
NEW BOOK OUT NOW
Low Impact Development is an idea whose time has come. A radical form of sustainable housing and livelihood which is in tune with the natural environment, it offers us innovative solutions for the environmental, social and economic challenges of the 21st century. This book outlines the what, why and how of Low Impact Development In addition to exploring its potential, the book contains inspiring stories from those who have put Low Impact Development into practice, and plenty of ideas of how you can get involved. Edited by Jenny Pickerill and Larch Maxey,Lammas’ Research Coordinator, the book includes contributions from Simon Fairlie, Tony Wrench, Simon Dale and many more. Copies are available from: http://lowimpactdevelopment.wordpress.com £5 for A5 hardcopy or download PDF |
