PROTECT OUR GREEN SPACE IN L25

Riverside Housing Association are planning to build a housing development on the fields on Gorsey Cop Road and Hartbourne Avenue. Further precious green space in L25 is planned on being taken away from the community, and as Riverside own other green space in the area we fear this is only the beginning. We need to protect the green space still remaining in L25.

The fields have been at the heart of the local community for decades and hold great memories for different generations. There is also various wildlife which use the field and adjourning trees, including foxes, squirrels and even bats.

Did you know Riverside recently held a drop in session to discuss the proposals? No? You are not alone. This is because Riverside only bothered to write out to a limited number of households on 2-3 streets adjacent to the fields to inform them of the session, which they are now calling an official consultation with local residents. Residents who have lived in the local community for years did not receive a letter to attend by Riverside – their opinions do not matter to Riverside.

MAIN CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSALS

Nature conservation – loss of green space and trees

Wildlife – destroying their habitat

Anti social behaviour and crime – the road layout of the designs will include dark street corners which could attract gangs and crime to what was previously a nice and peaceful neighbourhood

Already oversubscribed schools and doctors in the area

Adequacy of parking/loading/turning – parking is already a major issue on the road with spaces at a premium. Emergency vehicles will struggle to reach households in an emergency

Drainage and risk of flooding – the field on Gorsey Cop Road is already overflowing with rain water coming down from the cycle track

Highway safety – extra congestion

Traffic generation

Lack of people in the area informed in writing of the housing development and the drop in session

RIVERSIDE HOUSING ASSOCIATION – THE FACTS

The drop in session provided by Riverside provided very little answers to questions raised by concerned residents. We were promised at the drop in session that an official consultation would follow. This request has been ignored by Riverside and in a response to issues raised, Riverside are now describing the drop in session as a ‘consultation.’ Riverside have NOT offered an official consultation to local residents affected by their proposals.

Riverside have stated that ‘we have actively looked to consult local residents prior to submission of the planning application’ – there are over 200 households within a quarter of a mile radius of the affected fields and approximately 1% of households in the area received a letter from Riverside to attend the drop in session. This drop in session was also deliberately and inconveniently held on a weekday when most people were at work. Riverside are NOT actively looking to consult with local residents regarding the proposals.

Riverside claim to have received plenty of positive feedback from the drop in session. Myself and my partner attended for the majority of the session and I can categorically state that there was NO positive feedback towards the proposals whatsoever.

SIGN OUR PETITION AND SAVE THE GREEN SPACE IN L25

The truth is Riverside do not want to engage with local residents and want to take away our green space. From talking to neighbours who have grown up in the area, when they were children they used to play on the fields and now their children and grandchildren also play on the fields. The fields have played a big part in the lives of the local community for generations and it would be a huge loss to everyone should the fields be taken away.

As a community we need to take action to stop these proposals from going ahead and to ensure the survival of our green space for years to come. We need green space for our children to have somewhere safe to play and for local wildlife to prosper. We do not need extra traffic congestion and we do not want the prospect of anti social behaviour and crime on our doorsteps.

Please sign our petition to Maria Eagle - our local MP, and together we can help to shape the future and to make a stand against housing developers who want to take away our precious green space.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT