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| In mid-November, news broke that Eagle Star had entered the race to build one of the Government's 'eco-towns' at Micheldever Station. The Dever Society was quick to respond to this grave new threat to mid-Hampshire. | ||||
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Just before Christmas, it would have been easy to sit back and hope that Eagle Star's latest scheme would be rejected by the planning system. But the Society immediately realised that this was a threat of a different order. Eagle Star's bid came in response to the Government's high profile eco-towns initiative. Our sources revealed that Ministers intended to draw up a short-list of successful projects early in 2008 – possibly, even before Christmas. A decision in favour of Micheldever would effectively by-pass the Regional Plan, leaving local planning authorities no option but to grant planning permission for Eagle Star's flawed proposals. The need for urgent action was clear. |
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| This timeline follows the story so far ... | ||||
15 November 2007 |
First word reaches the Society that 'an application of some sort is in for a Micheldever Station development'. |
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16 November 2007 |
The Society's vice-chairman is interviewed on BBC South Today and Dream 107.2fm radio. | |||
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19-20 November 2007 |
The committee agrees to commission a detailed report setting out the strong planning case against a new town at Micheldever Station. We also decide to retain Counsel, sending a clear signal to Government that Eagle Star's scheme will attract serious local opposition. At the same time, we begin planning for a public meeting. |
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03 December 2007 |
Mark Oaten MP asks questions in Parliament. The Society issues a media news release, highlighting the issues and announcing the date of our public meeting. |
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11 December 2007 |
Almost 200 people pack our public meeting in Micheldever Station's Warren Hall to give Eagle Star’s eco-town proposals a unanimous veto. The Society receives a copy of Winchester City Council's strongly worded letter to the Secretary of State, setting out the overwhelming case against Eagle Star's proposed new town. |
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12 December 2007 |
The success of our public meeting is relayed to the media in a news release. | |||
13 December 2007 |
The Society's vice-chairman is interviewed by the Basingstoke Gazette and Wave 105.2fm radio. | |||
21 December 2007 |
A courier delivers the Society's detailed 42-page planning report to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. | |||
January - March 2008 |
The Society continues to liaise with Winchester City Council's planning department, as well as Mark Oaten MP, local Councillors, and the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire. |
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27 February 2008 |
Housing Minister Caroline Flint tells an ecological housing conference at London's Earl's Court that "weak [eco-town] bids where the greenest element is the recycling of failed proposals won't make it through." | |||
03 April 2008 |
The Government announces its shortlist of 15 potential eco-town sites. Eagle Star's plans for Micheldever Station are amongst more than 40 proposals rejected as undeliverable, or not ambitious enough to meet the high environmental and affordability standards set by Government. |
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03 June 2008 |
The Government publishes a summary of its assessments for all the eco-towns proposals that it received nationwide. Using a scale of A-D, Eagle Star's proposals scored C for its environmental impact, and D on transport. | |||
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© The Dever Society | Registered charity no: 1003093 | Updated
2/03/09
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