Nov 5, 2009
Devastating Sandford Farm Appeal Verdict
Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat prospective MP for Reading East, has reacted with anger to the news that the Planning Inspector has allowed a massive development on the controversial Sandford Farm site in Woodley in the constituency.
Development on the site has for many years been opposed by residents in the area and by the Loddon Valley Action Group. Liberal Democrat councillor for Loddon, Phil Challis, has been among the leadership of the campaign for some years and presented planning evidence to the inquiry.
Commenting, Gareth says:
“This is a devastating decision for residents of Woodley and the wider area surrounding Sandford Farm. The Loddon Valley Action Group has long worked with great courage and tenacity to protect the safety of residents from these dangerous plans.
Unfortunately their work has been undermined from two sides. Central Government planning policies ride roughshod over environmental concerns and allow development on environmentally damaging sites such as this. Compounding this was the decision of Wokingham’s Conservative Council to allocate the site for development – a decision that pulled the rug from under Woodley.
I and Woodley’s Liberal Democrat councillors will continue to support LVAG and local residents in fighting this wrongheaded plan by any means possible.”
Editor’s Notes:
Click here for the Loddon Valley Action Group information site.
