Extract from Griff Rhys Jones’ foreword to Smart Growth UK’s Garden Communities: Why Communities Say No published 13 April 2018.
‘The protests, assessments and legitimate concerns gathered below make sober reading. There is a simple rule in building which every craftsman knows. Prepare properly and it will last longer. Build only on good foundations. These major works envisaged to smother the countryside seem to be scrappy, hurried and unskilled. They will come to haunt us if they go ahead’.
This important report looks at why 10 campaign groups, including CLOUD, are saying no to garden villages and towns. They highlight the high levels of car dependency, the use of green rather than brownfield sites,the often tenuous links between communities and availability of jobs and dangers of flooding. Very often the garden villages seem bolted on to Local Plans rather than integral and sustainable and as Rhys Jones suggested decisions that are not adequately thought through will come back to haunt us for generations.
CLOUD contributed the section on Bailrigg garden village and we are learning a great deal working with other groups and with SmartGrowthUK. As one of the contributors to the report we have permission to include it on our website. Do take time to read it. It highlights how widespread the problems we are having in Lancaster are and also offers constructive alternative approaches. Here is link to the report on our website. Share it widely!
Do look further at SmartGrowthUK’s website too.
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