Unnecessary Developments – Page 65

Radley Lakes: Join the protest march on legs and cycles on 10 March

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower’s “Criminal Damage” to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

You are invited to join cyclists from across Oxfordshire in a bicycle ride in support of the campaign to “Save Radley Lakes” next Saturday. Cyclists in Oxford are invited to congregate in Broad Street, Oxford City (OX1 3AS) outside the Oxford Campus Store, at 12.45pm on Saturday 10th March, 2007, while walkers from Abingdon and Didcot are invited to congregate at 1.10pm in Abbey Meadow (OX14 3JE) in Abingdon to hear speakers, then walk to Thrupp Lake. The cyclists will proceed toward Radley Lakes, with bells, whistles and banners, coinciding with a march by Save Radley Lakes the same day at Thrupp Lake at 1.55pm.

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower’s “Criminal Damage” to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

Everyone is welcome to join the cycle ride as a planned show of support for the campaign, and the ride will end at the lakes. Bring bells, whistles and banners if you can.

The ride will take place at a leisurely pace. Radley Lakes have been used by Oxonians for over 30 years as a leisure site to walk, cycle and enjoy the environment. Npower has filled all the lakes east of the railway with ash, and now it wants to destroy the remainder in the same way, completely destroying habitat for many species of birds, fish, animal, and plant. News of the cycle ride is being broadcast to Cyclox, Critical Mass, Sustrans, CTC, and of course Save Radley Lakes. Cyclists are angry that the Npower’s damage to the lakes will also ruin the beautiful views of the lake environment on the Sustrans cycle route than runs between two of the lakes, and there are reports that Npower’s site workers are already taking liberties with the cyclists “right of way” blocking the path to cyclists.

An experienced cyclist will lead the ride along an official cycle route from Oxford to Thrupp Lake (distance 5 miles). Feel free to forward this message to people or groups who you think might be interested, or email jon.rees@gmail.com Please send me an SMS on 07970 893371 if you intend to join us.

See you Saturday

Route: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/leaflets/Hanson%20Way.pdf

Invite to Tara

1.3.2007
The last in a series of legal challenges against the road through the Tara -Skyrne valley has failed today. There are 72 hours left before the road works which will not alone bisect the historic valley, but place a
land grab and ugly planning in and around the whole area will commence.
And Yes the process was corrupt.

What you can do:

The vigil keepers are peaceful NVDA protestors.
Some are quite young.
They are very isolated.

They have asked for support, so if you are visiting Ireland in the next weeks you could come with cameras and food and even help in blockades.

The Irish Gardai are not known for their patience.
[as we have seen and indeed experienced in both Rossport and The Glen Of the Downs]

The vigil is peaceful and non hierarchical and they are very welcoming of people who come to support them especially if ye bring biscuits to have with the cup of tea at the vigil fire.

*There are 72 hours left to legally stop the road.
the PPP has been signed.
Works are due to commence on Monday.
Messages of solidarity are welcome.

The group though it best to ask for help and to warn everyone that if you want to help- now is the time.

Gur a Mhaith agat!

Southend: Hundreds gather to oppose controversial F5 road widening

As promised by local campaigners, and expected by the wider public, hundreds of local people converged upon Southend Civic Centre this evening for the ‘Parkrally’, to oppose controversial plans to widen the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, or ‘scheme F5’ as it has come to be known.
The event follows the recent ‘storming’ of the British Archaeological Awards celebration at Prittlewell Priory in January(1), when dozens of local residents disrupted an invite only ‘wine and cheese’ event held for local dignitaries, in celebration of the discovery of the East Saxon king’s burial, which would be destroyed, should the £25m road scheme get the go ahead.

Feelings continue to run high, with majority public opposition to the scheme repeatedly being shown by local groups, and press, six years into the campaign to stop the road.
Speaking from the steps of the Civic Centre, where a meeting of the full Council was taking place inside, campaigner and local resident Shaun Qureshi said, ‘Southend Borough Council are either somehow still ignorant of the fact that so many people continue to demonstrate, or they are arrogant enough to feel that they can simply push us aside.
‘They have only time and silence on their side, and the commonly held misconception that the scheme has already been canned by the Department for Transport, who would be required to provide the funding. The feeling that the scheme will not now go ahead is due to the delay in anyone in authority either taking any responsibility, or coming to a decision on the issue.
‘However, recent events have proven that despite this, significant numbers of the local public can still be mobilised to take action, that we do have majority support, and should the go-ahead be given, that there will be outrage across the town if attempts are made to evict Camp Bling, concrete over the burial or to destroy yet another green space.’(2)
A decision to fund the road widening has been awaited from the DfT since a local Public Inquiry took place in March 2004. Information from the East of England Regional Partnership Group shows that costs have now risen to an estimated £25m for the 870 metre length of carriageway (3), making it potentially, ‘The most expensive stretch of road in the world.’(4)
—————————————————————-
ENDS.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1 British Archaeological Awards 2006:
www.britarch.ac.uk/awards/winners2006.html
2 Camp Bling website: www.savepriorypark.org
3 East of England Regional Partnership Group regional funding allocations advice to Government report January 2006, page 25:
http://www.eera.gov.uk/Documents/About%20EERA/Policy/Regional%20Governance/Regional%20Funding%20Allocations/Final%20EoE%20RFA%20300106.pdf
4 Southend Evening Echo Monday 13th February 2006

Beat the Chainsaw Pledge, Hereford

HEREFORD GREEN PARTY PRESS RELEASE:

Forty-nine locals vow to stand in front of chainsaws to prevent loss of Meadow trees.

HEREFORD GREEN PARTY PRESS RELEASE:

Forty-nine locals vow to stand in front of chainsaws to prevent loss of Meadow trees.

A capacity crowd of nearly 300 people filled two floors of Hereford’s Watershed building last night, to hear a coalition of groups talk about the Environment Agency’s poorly-designed flood defence scheme for the City. Attendees expressed support for the provision of effective flood defences – but also concern over the Council’s lack of vision and leadership in passing the current scheme by which established trees on Bishop’s Meadow will be needlessly cut down. Green Party prospective Council candidate Martin Wyness asked people if they would be willing to stand under the affected trees, thereby making it impossible for workers to fell them. Forty-nine people expressed a commitment to stand in the way of the chainsaws in order to protect Hereford’s wonderful cultural and natural heritage.

Members of the public attending the meeting expressed surprise that local ward Councillors were not present to take questions as to why they had not robustly challenged the scheme during the planning process. Disappointment was voiced as to why that process was not publicised sufficiently for residents to engage with it effectively.

The Green Party hopes that Councillors who felt they could not challenge the Environment Agency and DEFRA before, because of fears of losing funding, will now find the courage to stand with the coalition as it demands that the scheme is rethought.

Green Party prospective Council candidate Martin Wyness asked the Environment Agency representative present at the meeting: “Can you give an assurance that the trees affected will not be cut down in a rush in order to beat restrictions caused by the imminent bird nesting season?” The Environment Agency’s reply was that a survey would be carried out.

Because it is still too early for nesting, this effectively means that the chainsaws can come at any moment, even before the Environment Agency or Council looks at any alternative proposals.

The Green Party is disappointed that Hereford Liberal Democrat MP Paul Keetch has until now, not seen fit to question the scheme properly until he saw the scale of public concern. Hereford needs a dynamic and passionate Member of Parliament who will argue the case for keeping the money on the table while we amend the detail of these plans that would do so much damage to Hereford’s historic environment. A somewhat reluctant Mr. Keetch said on radio yesterday “I am assured by the Environment Agency that if there is fine tuning that can be done, it will be done”. Let us hope he holds the agency to that promise.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

It is quite possible that Elgar walked beneath the trees that will be destroyed by this scheme. There is also a memorial on the site that says that Elgar penned The Enigma Variations after seeing the Cathedral organist’s dog fall into the river at this spot.

The coalition is fully in favour of a flood defence scheme for the city, but not this one.

RRA Architects showed their alternative and sympathetic proposal to the public meeting.

The coalition in favour of better flood defences includes: –

Cycle Hereford
The Disabled Users Access Group
Friends of Castle Green
Friends of the Earth
Fodder
The Green Party
The Hereford Civic Society
RRA Architects
St James and Bartonsham Community Association
Watershed

For further information please contact:
Martin Wyness
Media – Hereford & South Herefordshire Green Party
07809 150344
mediasouth@herefordshiregreens.org.uk
www.herefordshiregreens.org.uk

M1 widening actions pigged

Police News Management, Incompetence and Poor Attitude To Peaceful Protest Exposed After They Prevent Peaceful Climate Camp Action With Massive Over Reaction

Today, Monday 19th of February, peaceful protesters from the Camp For Climate Action had planned a series of events to highlight the environmental cost of widening the M1. Unfortunately, a massive police presence, totally out of proportion to the proposed protest, appears to have contributed to massive tail-backs on the motorway near Sheffield. The protesters decided not to go ahead with their event after being offered a ridiculously limited space in which to make their point and no protester actions took place at any time. At no point did any of them approach close to the motorway, and they could not have therefore caused the tailbacks as the Police suggested to local radio. In fact, there had been an accident on that stretch, which combined with the roadworks and the police presence, was probably the cause of the delays.

Police News Management, Incompetence and Poor Attitude To Peaceful Protest Exposed After They Prevent Peaceful Climate Camp Action With Massive Over Reaction

In a second embarrassing mistake, the Police seem to have believed that the action had been planned by the No M1 Widening Campaign. In fact, the Camp For Climate Action was solely responsible. The police probably don’t realise the link between traffic growth and worsening climate change which threatens us all.

Sam Nexter said “Tony Blair has claimed that the government is taking climate change seriously but billions of pounds of taxpayer’s money is now being wasted on a scheme that will do nothing to ease congestion but will increase emissions. There are much more effective and economic ways to tackle congestion such as improving public transport and transferring freight onto the railways.”

“Its mad that, on top of paying for dangerous motorway building, money is also wasted paying large numbers of police to sit around in vans.” he added.

The work to widen this stretch of M1 started a month ago, and work on the section between junction 6a-10 is already well under way. In total 115 miles of the M1 is due to be widened from the M25 to Milton Keynes and from Leicester to Leeds, costing a total of over £3.74 billion. Many people believe the widening will allow traffic to grow, causing more CO2 emissions. Road transport already accounts for 21% of emissions in the UK and rises every year.

info@climatecamp.org.uk
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

Activists shut down construction of LNG gas terminal in Milford Haven

14th Feb 07

Protesters against the continued and unrestrained promotion of fossil fuel projects by the UK government have blockaded the main vehicle access route into the new LNG pipeline terminal near Milford Haven, South Wales. Their aim is to highlight the serious environmental and safety issues surrounding this project, and to call for a more sober approach to the impending energy crisis.

14th Feb 07

Eight people have physically blocked the site access road, south of the village of Herbranston, S. Wales, preventing construction vehicles from entering the giant LNG terminal.

These protestors, inspired by the 2006 Camp for Climate Action, are targetting the construction of the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminal and pipeline in South Wales. The actions aim to disrupt the work to the largest extent possible. Climate chaos is the greatest threat humanity has ever faced yet the British government and a conglomerate of Corporations are recklessly constructing this new carbon intensive energy project.

The development of LNG terminals in the UK is locking us into thirty years of yet more fossil fuels, in an era in which dramatic cuts in carbon are crucial. The Department of Trade Industry last week, gave permission for phase two of the LNG pipeline to be built. Yet, this project starkly reveals the incompatibility between the so-called need for ‘energy security’, and the far more pressing need to substantially diminish our use of fossil fuels.

Limiting global warming to a 2 degree increase with a relatively high certainty requires the equivalent concentration of CO2 to stay below 400 ppm. Achieving this means rich countries, like the UK, cutting their average emissions by around 90% by 2030.

A protestor said “A 90% cut in 25 years is going to require not just new technologies, but different cultures, different economies, different expectations – in short, a different way of life.”

The development of LNG terminals in the UK opens up previously unavailable carbon intensive natural gas to our energy markets, to the severe detriment of support for clean decentralised renewables. Furthermore, bringing gas from the Middle East is a much more energy intensive process than retrieving gas from the North Sea.

There are also substantial safety issues attached to this project. Studies show that an accident or terrorist attack at the Milford Haven terminals would cause “major injuries and significant damage to structures” within a radius of a third of a mile and could cause second-degree burns more than a mile away.

The terrain through which the pipeline will run has been extensively mined and is prone to subsidence in places. Needless to say, the installation of a massively pressurised gas pipeline through unstable land is highly dubious. Locals, fearing for their safety, have had their questions ignored. Concerns about the material used and quality of welding employed have not been properly addressed. Many members of affected communities continue to vocally protest, but with little recognition.

Protestors have chosen to take direct action today to show their solidarity with communities along the pipeline and to stop this morally indefensible fossil fuel de-struction project.

Contact: Sarah White 07901862522

Notes to Editor

The project:
Gas, liquefied in Qatar by cooling to -162C, is going to be shipped to West Wales on super tankers. There, at Milford Haven, it will be regasified in one of the two onshore terminals being built by:
· Dragon LNG, a consortium whose main partner is the BG Group (formerly British Gas).
· South Hook LNG, part of a new business, Qatargas II,owned by Qatar Petroleum and Exxon. This £6 billion project finances the work from well to terminal. It is the single largest energy-project financing ever[1] and this terminal alone will be the biggest LNG receiving terminal in the world[2].
The Pipeline: National Grid are connecting the gas to the national network. They are doing so by building a pipeline in two phases from Milford Haven to Gloucestershire. Phase 2 of the project was given the green light on 7th February 2007. This huge pipeline, 4ft in diameter, will run at 94bar pressure – that is 96kg/cm2.
National Grid’s (formerly known as Transco) Safety Record
In 1999, a family of four were killed in Scotland when a high pressure gas pipe exploded by their home. Massive corrosion in the pipeline, and a failure on the part of National Grid/Transco (NG/T) to keep adequate records on what kind of pipes were being used, led to the explosion. Corrosion has already been seen on the welds in the South Wales pipeline
Since privatisation, NG/T have shed thousands of engineering jobs and cut maintenance work. In 2000 it was revealed that Transco had underspent its agreed pipeline maintenance and replacement programme by £358m over the previous two years[3]. This same corporation, accountable to only its shareholders and board, is now responsible for the safety of thousands of people along the route of this pipe, which is run at a pressure, unprecedented in Europe and US, of which National Grid have no experience of running. Already, there is evidence of their cost saving strategy: the Health and Safety Executive stipulates the use of polyethelene in gas piping, yet National Grid is using other materials.

[1] The agreement was the third-largest project financing of any kind, after the Channel Tunnel and a Taiwanese high-speed rail financing. Banks with major roles in the project financing include HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Citigroup.
[2] http://education.independent.co.uk/careers_advice/engineering/article1946244.ece
[3] http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=662322003

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ACTION REPORT

Since November there has been lots of protests around the gas pipeline currently being constructed in Wales, and shortly Englans. Today people paid a visit to sunny pembokeshire to take direct action on one of the root causes of climate change; fossil fuel corporations seeking more profits for their shareholders.

Five people blockaded the main access to the construction site for six hours, resulting in huge tailbacks and the typical enormous police presence. People laid on the ground are apparently a threat to national security. What really is a threat to our security is the continuation of yet more fossil fuel projects, more carbon in the atmosphere and more death, misery and hunger. The people were eventually arrested at midday and are now enjoying a well deserved sleep in the luxurious surroundings of HaverfordWest Police station.

Around the same time this morning people also approached the kilometer long jetty, which will carry the liquid from the supertankers to the terminal. They were prevented from getting on to the jetty; apparently it’s dangerous unless you have been given health and safety training. Lets hope the people of Milford Haven have been given some training for what to do if there is accident. Milford Haven’s most experienced shipping pilots have described the risk of a fatal collision at one of the terminals as a ‘real everyday reality’ which would put 20000 people lives at risk.

Just twenty people have managed to cause a splendid commotion at the building site of the South Hook Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in West Wales. It is an inspiring example of how a few people can take responsibility for theirs and our future.

While work may continue tomorrow on the terminal, yet another spanner has been thrown in their LNG pipedream (I had to have one pipe pun).

See
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362275.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362322.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6360281.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6365223.stm
http://www.pembrokeshiretv.com/content/templates/v6-article.asp?articleid=3163&zoneid=33

Background
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25798

Colombian farmers evicted by British mining companies

Representatives of African-Colombian and Indigenous families evicted from their land in the province of La Guajira, Colombia to make way for a massive opencast coal mine will speak in London on Monday 29th January, 6.30pm-8.30pm at The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2.

Many communities have been forced from their land since the mine opened in the 1970s. The village of Tabaco was demolished in 2001 just after British-based companies bought into the project. Many inhabitants accepted the inadequate financial compensation on offer, others are still holding out for community relocation so that they can continue living as a community and farming the land as they did before.

The British-based companies that now own the mine are Anglo American, BHPBilliton and Xstrata. All raise money on the London Stock Exchange. Anglo American has its head office in London. Many pension funds invest in these companies. Many ordinary working people in Britain, without knowing it, are benefiting from the destruction of farming communities in Colombia by the world’s richest mining multinationals. All three companies have good reputations as socially and environmentally responsible enterprises. The reality is very different. Come and hear the communities’ side of the story

Location: The Auditorium, Amnesty International UK, The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2
Contact: info@colombiasolidarity.org.uk
(nearest tube Old Street)

ex-vortex eviction thwarted this morning (pics and film)

dozens of supporters arrived this morning to ensure that no illegal eviction could take place at the occupied social squat in the building that used to host the vortex jazz club in stoke newington church street.

there was much local support as residents don’t want more luxury flats, a tesco, or a starbucks, all of which are possible plans for the site under owner richard midda’s stewardship.

midda is so unpopular in the area that a photography studio was sold to alex ross (the present owner of the spence bakery) at under market value, rather than allow midda to buy it, even although he was offering far more.

a woman police officer who attended the scene was clearly sympathetic to the squatters, and after seeking advice and clarification, reported that the bailiffs would have to return once they had written clarification from the court (which may take up to two weeks).

one independent photographer was so taken with the officer that he asked if she had a boyfriend – his hopes were dashed when she told him she was married.

quicktime – video/mp4 6.5M
flip4mac/wmv – video/x-ms-wmv 7.1M

films attached in wmv and mp4 formats

if you can’t see the film just by clicking on it (and waiting awhile, as these are several megabytes of data), then right-clik-hold (ctrl-clik on mac) instead and ‘download linked file’ before watching it on your viewer of choice
on mac or pc, i recommend downloading vlc which is a free viewer from viedolan, or also mplayer (free too)
on a mac, if you insist on watching the wmv, then download ‘flip4mac’ so you can watch it on quicktime, as the windows media viewer itself puts all sorts of nasties on your system.

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Earlier report:

From 8.30am around 70-80 people, the majority local residents, turned out to support the resistance to the threatened eviction of the Vortex Occupied Social Centre. The owner, Richard Midda, a well known thug and property developer threatened to use force to evict the occupiers if they did not leave by 9.00am.

But like the saying goes “they make plans we make history”! After seeing such a response, composed of all age ranges and faced with no fewer than 15 film and video cameras the police intervened and thereby starting a debate on the finer points of law. With the cops in the middle of this legal debate a decision was made to send one person from the Social centre and the owner, midda, to Stoke Newington Police station where independent legal advise is now being sort.

This is current as of 9.50am.

This occupation has its roots in both the trajectory of occupations from the Radical Dairy (Stoke Newington) in 2002 and the subsequent spaces (Occupied Social Centre – Kentish Town,Ex-Grandbanks – Tufnell Park, Institute of Autonomy – Bloomsbury, The Square – Bloomsbury), BUT also in last years occupation of “Francesca’s Cafe” on Broadway Market – Hackney and Daslton theatre in Dalston.

It shows that radical political interventions in the form of occupied social centres can resonate with pre-exisiting social tensions and antoganisms, especially around gentrification and “community” issues and activate people to self-organise and take some control on how their environment(and quality of life) are shaped.
If your in the area come down, we have now occupied both sides of the pavement due to numbers.
one of the Vortex Anarchists

occupiedsocialcentre@hushmail.com
http://www.londonsocialcentre.org.uk

March on Worthing Police Station in support of Titnore, 17th Feb

A PROTEST march on Worthing Police Station has been called for Saturday February 17 in the face of police intimidation of Titnore Woods campaigners.

A statement from Titnore Emergency Action (TEA), released on Thursday January 18, said:

A PROTEST march on Worthing Police Station has been called for Saturday February 17 in the face of police intimidation of Titnore Woods campaigners.

A statement from Titnore Emergency Action (TEA), released on Thursday January 18, said:
“In the run-up to Christmas, supporters of the Titnore Woods campaign were trying to bring in food and cash donations to the camp, for obvious reasons.

“However as you may have heard, on no less than two occasions Worthing Police officers attended the stall and threatened with arrest our friends making the collections.

“This is nothing short of political harassment of Titnore supporters and flies in the face of local democracy, particularly the fact that the campaign has won the support of thousands of local people, who visit the stall to make their contribution to the tree house heroes.

“In protest at this draconian and unnecessary action, which has stopped vital fund-raising at a vital time, we call for a MARCH ON WORTHING POLICE STATION on Saturday February 17, heading off at 2pm from Holders Corner, Montague Place [near MacDonald’s], Worthing.

“This will also be an opportunity to express ongoing support for the camp and the fight to Save Titnore Woods.

“We hope as many of you as possible will be there to lend your support for the efforts of our our friends on the stall and in the woods.

Titnore Emergency Action (TEA)”

Meanwhile, campaigners say they have received some information suggesting that an attempted eviction of the Titnore camp might be very imminent. The source also suggested that Territorial Army personnel would be involved.

Worthing eco-action added: “While we do not want to “cry wolf” by sounding the alarm bells too often, we thought people should be aware of this. If anyone has any other information either supporting or contradicting this rumour, please get in touch with us, Protect Our Woodland or the camp. Or come to Thursday night’s Worthing Alliance meeting (January 25). If there are plans to evict soon, there may be a connection with the recent heavy-handed treatment of Titnore supporters.

Activists stop work on gas pipe line Alltwen, Wales

16th Jan ’07 – At 9am this morning a construction site in Alltwen was stormed by activists, climbing cranes and locking-on with d-locks by their necks. Work was stopped on the controversial LNG pipeline for five and a half hours, adding to the list of recent delays.
The protesters this morning were met with aggression, one had her camera snatched and damaged, whilst others were threatened with violence. After one activist climbed a crane, locked on by his neck, the operator of the crane then decided to move the crane about, seriously endangering the activistâ€™s life – watch the video (video/x-ms-wmv 4.3MB).
Also construction workers initially kept on using heavy machinery on the site despite being advised not to due to health and safety reasons.

It is the eighth day that work has been stopped at the Trebanos camp across the valley. Support continues to grow for the campaign with more numbers getting involved daily.
The pipe, to be 115 miles long rips right through wales, having devastating effects on the welsh countryside.
This action is just a small part of a big campaign to fight the pipe!
Currently we are occupying a public footpath stopping access to the construction site in the village of Trebanos. We also have a house which is a safe base to do actions from.
Come to wales and be at the front line of britain’s eco-defence! Loads more actions
are planned and more sites too.
contact numbers
07790450747
07733190958