Stroud was an appropriate location for this year’s Winter Moot, with a proud history of protest past and present.
The venue for the Moot is the Centre for Science & Art, itself saved by the Stroud Campaign Against The Ringroad in the 70s. In 1980 there were plans to demolish some 17th & 18th century listed buildings on the High Street — a combination of roof top occupations and other strategies saved them, and the road is now pedestrianised.
In 1989 the Save The Trees Campaign took on the council’s road-widening scheme (for a Tesco’s). A midnight raid to fell thirteen trees in Stratford Park was foiled when local people got wind of the ‘secret’ and attached themselves to the trees. The trees are still there, and instead a traffic calming scheme was developed, resulting in less crashes.
In 2013 a campaign was fought against developers with an apple tree being occupied for 6 days. A local who gave us a tour during the Moot of places fought for or saved by protests said: “There was a very sad end to this story, but I hope it is a good reminder of what we can do, and what may be needed in some of the battles over local development and our environment in the near future.” (source)
There’s been a long campaign these last years against the Javelin Park incinerator at Haresfield, and though the county council’s planning committee blocked it in 2013, they were over-ruled by the Secretary of State. GlosVAIN and others continue to campaign, and came to talk to us about the different community organising strategies they’ve used.
Though permission has been granted for the incinerator, the campaign continues (though unfortunately pushing an alternative that involves, er, incineration!).