Letters to Formby Times: 10/04/12

Apr 10 2012 by Our Correspondent, Formby Times

What is meant by Green Belt?

SEFTON Council has carried out a study to identify where housing development could go ahead on Green Belt sites.

This concluded that “there are a number of potential Green Belt sites around most of our towns and large villages that, if developed, would still allow us to retain a strong Greenbelt”.

What the council means by “a strong Green Belt” is not defined but it may not be very strong at all. For example, in Hightown the council’s plans could lead to some 989 new houses in the village, more than doubling its size.

Three sites are under threat.

The land between Hightown and Gorsey Lane/Sandy Lane with a notional capacity of 376 houses, land between St George’s Road and Moss Lane with 231 houses and a further 382 houses to the east of the village “although any development should not take place [here] unless the other areas have been developed first” according to the planners.

The fact that this scale of expansion specifically contradicts the council’s stated and published principles seems to have escaped officials.

In the council’s Core Strategy Option Paper, one of its stated principles is that development “should be in keeping with the size, character and function of the village where it is proposed”.

The authors of the paper also state that “it is essential that any development would be in proportion to the scale of the village and, therefore, should not exceed 10% of its current size” which in the case of Hightown would amount to just 90 houses.

Once the Green Belt has been lost, there is no reason why developers should not exceed the notional capacity envisaged by the council.

Simon Dawkins

Via email

Cross of faith

FAITH is what got us through the good and bad times.

My husband and I always had a cross each.

In 2001 my husband lost his leg and had two strokes. We prayed and wore our crosses to keep us going. I lost my husband two years ago. I now wear my husband’s cross and no-one can tell me to take it off.

I am now 70 and disabled and it

There is hope with our faith. It is our faith that keeps us going.

Are they going to tell us to take the cross down in church? I think not, so keep wearing your cross with pride.

Mrs Mary Gorton

Via email

Range reunion

WE are organising a reunion for people who attended Range High School in the 1977 to 1982 year group.

The event takes place at Formby Hall on May 5 but there are still some people we have not been able to make contact with whom we would love to invite.

These are: Steven Blanchard, Ian Chalcroft, Jane Wilkin, Liza Kornieliussen, Julie Mills, Gary Jones, Christine Lynne, Greg Shimmin, Penny Largen, Janet Woodward, Duncan Ellard, Ewan Donald, Miranda Halsall, Pete Breen, Mark Stables, Matt Ware, Stephen Baker, Peter Jones, Janice Horton, Elaine Thomas, John Fisher, Steven Lloyd, Colin Marston, Julien Jansiss, Dominic Harvey, Tim Royle, George Wilson, Helen Newby, Simon Wood, Simon Waigh, Ray Smith.

We would also like to invite any teachers who were at Range during that time.

If you are one of the people listed and would like to attend, please contact me on 07736 232 631 or email fiona.colin@btinternet.com

Fiona Williams

Via email