Pebsham stages a double protest

Placard-bearing neighbours taking part in a double demonstration outside the Town Hall before yesterday morning's planning committee meeting made their feelings abundantly clear to councillors.

"We have had it! We are rebelling!" Angry Pebsham resident Kenneth Hawes summed up Pebsham's feeling.

Applications for permanent industrial use of buildings at Pebsham Farm and to build three and five-storey blocks of flats overlooking bungalows behind Nazareth House are the last straw for protesters who say Pebsham is being over-developed.

Placards told Pebsham's story in graphic terms. Saddled with the trouble-prone new sewage plant, the tip and the waste-derived fuel pellet plant, the estate is also fighting plans for the generation of electricity from waste (see page2).

Talk of a Council Tax strike was rife. Ian and Deborah Gray live in Rowan Gardens behind Nazareth House.

Ian said: "With all the rates, we are paying 118 a month and what are we getting for it? Pebsham is the last resort - everything is dumped at Pebsham!

"I think councillors are getting the message that Pebsham people are not just going to lie down and take it.

"My property runs along the border with Nazareth House. How we would sell it if we wanted to I just don't know."

Deborah said: "They are trying to squeeze as much as possible into Pebsham."

Residents thanked independent member Cllr Charlie Clark for taking up their issues whole-heartedly.

At the protest, Cllr Clark said: "I am going to speak on both matters at today's meeting. If the plans are deferred I will be waiting for the chief planning officer to come back with new plans for both because they are not in the interests of Pebsham people."

Marion Edmonds of Pebsham Residents' Action Group (PRAG) said: "We hope that we won't be getting permanent industrial use at Pebsham Farm, or extra business units.

"The extra lorries that permanent industrial use would create is really worrying for residents who already see lorries streaming along Pebsham roads."

Farmer Monty Worssam, currently has temporary industrial use for the farm buildings.

Protesters fear permanent industrial use there may harm the development of the countryside park promised for the area. and that additional commercial traffic would clog unsuitable estate roads.

Applicants Hastings Road Development Ltd. have planning approval to convert empty Nazareth House into flats and to building houses in the grounds. They now seek permission to build 42 flats instead of some of the houses.

A total of 114 residential units would be accommodated on the site if the plans are passed.

The recommendation of planning officers on both applications yesterday was to defer.