Who fancies helping me out with a little civil disobedience?
Purbeck (those nice hills near Bournemouth and Poole) Council want to build on Herston Meadow in Swanage. It’s a lovely meadow that is used by Barn owls, bats and dog walkers. It’s pretty much our village green.
Not only will it change the shape and character of Swanage, it will also simply destroy part of the countryside.
This was a protected conversation area only a couple of years ago. But I guess that did not suit the council’s plans? But don’t worry their plans include “improved access to the countryside” by simply building on the countryside.
In a good winter you can ice-skate on the flooded meadow. Hardly suitable for building on!
What’s more the consultation questionnaire is “unsafe”, meaning it is not statistically significant. It includes the vague suggestion of a promise for community facilities, confusing the location decision and it’s very heavily biased towards the Herston meadow with bigger promises.
The council are playing out some fake democracy here, but the awkward truth is they are manipulating the decision. I know we don’t have a democracy in this country (2.5 million marched against the gulf war – this massive display of the peoples feeling made zero difference.
But at least some funny rogue is having a go back (see picture) – no idea who is behind this, but I endorse this type of civil disobedience.
Anyway if you could drop David Budd a polite email asking him to leave the countryside at Herston alone, at d.a.budd@dorsetcc.gov.uk his inbox will be stuffed full for Monday, lets give him something to do.