Old Oswestry Hillfort and SamDev plans

[Maggie 65]

Old Oswestry Hillfort lies on the boundary between the parishes of Gobowen and Oswestry town. It is now under threat from proposals for housing development within the boundary of Oswestry town, but close under the ramparts.  This will have considerably effects on the landscape setting, and views to and from this important Iron Age structure.  

 

The Os21 website has brought together all the information in one place, http://www.oswestry21.com/?p=8959&cpage=1#comment-15520    You can see that there are proposals for lots of new housing replacing Old Port Farm an its barns an outbuildings, and for a new housing estate tucked between Jasmine Gardens and the back of the Coppy wood. 

 

 Despite lots of local people and archaeologists arguing against these developments in the first round of the SamDev process, here it is again for the next round of the Sam Dev consultation, so we all now need to respond yet again I'm afraid.  

There is an online questionnaire, or you can email planning.policy@shropshire.gov.uk, or post a response to Strategic Planning at Shire Hall. The deadline is 23rd August.  The link to the information and questionnaire is  http://shropshire.gov.uk/planningpolicy.nsf/open/EF8FDBEED394ED40802579BC004265C2

Edited August 1, 2013 by Maggie

[Gardner 10]

I remember, many years ago, before Jasmine Gardens was bulit, that whole area behind The Coppy was a field with a number of natural springs. That whole area is very wet, which maybe a reason why it's not used as crop farmland.

 

In addition, I understand that there are restrictions on metal detecting/digging in the area around the Earthworks (Hillfort), but I may be wrong on this point.

 

But I would say the situation is complex (now, where did I put my box of extremely rare newts...?)

Edited July 31, 2013 by Gardner

[Maggie 65]

There is a new, campaigning facebook page for Old Oswestry, started this evening.  https://www.facebook.com/OldOswestryHillfort

 

There is a petition to stop development on the page which, if you wish, you can sign. The direct link is here.  http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/shropshire-council-withdraw-proposals-to-build-houses-alongside-old-oswestry-iron-age-hillfort?utm_campaign=share_button_mobile&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition

[Maggie 65]

Wow, the Old Oswestry Facebook page is bustling with comments and information, loads of likes.

The petition in hard copy will be going out to shops and outlets in the Oswestry area very shortly.

[Maggie 65]

Listen to John Waine on Shropshire Radio this afternoon, talking about the hillfort developments.

https://soundcloud.com/thebestofoswestry/old-oswestry-hillfort-bbc

 

Apparently I'm on tomorrow, Oh dear.

[leebarnfield 30]

Do you know what time?  I will listen out

[Maggie 65]

Breakfast time.  I will be the gabbling idiot who doesn't make sense.  The Independant phoned today as well, and are doing a piece about it.

[Maggie 65]

If anyone is considering writing in to Shropshire Council, then this document, just posted by Oswestryi, is important.  They obtained it from English Heritage via a Freedom of Information request.  This is the Heritage Impact Assesment produced for the developers.

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/164832/response/412426/attach/3/Oswestry%20Old%20Hill%20Fort%20Part%202.pdf

 

I am going to print it out and keep it because it is a very good, very full, description of Old Oswestry, besides everything else!  However, it is strong on views towards Oswestry Hillfort,  and how the houses will impact on that.  Highly relevant to Gobowen I'd have thought.  There is also an illustration of what the developments might look like from the hillfort. 

[Robmit 7]

I know we need more housing and especially social housing but not in that location please.   I've signed against it already.

[Maggie 65]

Thanks Robmit.

 

re social housing,  you can't tell me that 'Hillfort View' will be affordable housing.  It will enable developers to add a premium to the prices and to market to more affluent, and to those most likely to commute out of the area for work.

 

Final deadline for the SamDev consultation is tomorrow.  We are taking the petition print-out across to Shire Hall tomorrow afternoon. Please, if you haven't signed it yet, then do!  We are almost at 4000 people and it would be great to reach that target by tomorrow.  Lots of 'Names' are supporting us, the latest today is Mary Beard.

 

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/request-that-shropshire-council-withdraw-proposals-to-build-houses-alongside-old-oswestry-iron-age-hillfort

 

 

 

The comments on the petition are very interesting too.  It is obvious that Old Oswestry has a place close to lots of hearts.

[Maggie 65]

Friday 23rd was the deadline for people to comment on Shropshire Council's SamDev Revised Options, so the Petition to ask them to rethink plan to release land for housing at the Hillfort was duly delivered to the council in Shirehall at 3 pm.  5620 signatures in total were collected from the online petition and the hard copies which were around Oswestry and Gobowen and were presented to Cllr Mal Price, the portfolio holder for Planning.  Thanks to everyone who signed.  We certainly showed that lots of people feel strongly that this land should not be developed, and that we could provide a lot of very good reasons why not.  We hope that the Planners and the Council will now look very carefully at these plans and are sure they will give proper consideration to our concerns. 

(see photo in 'Gallery')

[leebarnfield 30]

5620 signatures is a great response, well done to everyone involved for their efforts.  

[Simple Simon 36]

Did any of you see the small article headlined "Hill fort housing 'would aid tourism'" on the cover of The Chronicle dated August 22nd?

 

In it Shropshire Councillor Cabinet member Mal Price who has responsibility for planning is reported as saying that any new housing around the base of the hillfort would provide extra access to the site off Gobowen Road and that it would be consistant  with the odjectives of the new 'Oswestry 2020 Town Plan'.

[Maggie 65]

The Oswestry 2020 people are a bit cross, at the last meeting it was discussed and most people there did not want development around Old Oswestry.  It isn't legitimate to quote something which hasn't been published yet, or even minutes from the meeting, and I suspect that the final version, if it is based on what people have said they want, won't say that, but who can tell!

[Simple Simon 36]

@Maggie

 

I notice you've posted an image in the Gallery of the petition being handed to Mal Price and the same photograph appears in the Tizer this week. How did you organise that (did you invite the press and Mal to a pre-arranged point especially to take the picture)?

[Simple Simon 36]

...and, is this Mal Price of the Planning Department the guy working within Shropshire Council that I should talk to regarding the situation between the purchase of the old Oswestry branch railway line and the plan to create a walking/cycle route?

[Maggie 65]

Well the Planning Dept was contacted about receiving the petition, and after a bit of discussion Mal Price agree to receive it at Shire Hall.  Hillfort group took the photos, no press involved, and the whole thing was very nonconfrontational, because we just wanted to present the signatures on behalf of everyone who signed, and so saw it as part of the SamDev consultation process.  Heather still had the banner in her shed so we took that along too.

 

You should probably get in touch with the Oswestry 2020 Neighbourhood Plan people.  I have seen a recent draft, and there is mention of the walking/cycle route in there, as a later phase of the development of the route.  It's not published yet but will become a working document for the council planning.  

Edited August 28, 2013 by Maggie

[Maggie 65]

There has been quite a lot of press coverage of this over the last few days.

 Last night Oswestry Town Council had a special meeting to consider how it should respond to the SamDev Hillfort proposals.  It is reported in the Shropshire Star today,  http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/09/04/council-adamant-over-protection-for-oswestry-hillfort/   

There was a good letter in the paper last night too.  http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/09/03/letter-magic-of-old-oswestry-hill-fort-will-be-lost-if-plans-go-ahead/

 

By the way, the aerial photo of the hillfort use by the Shropshire Star shows the WW1 training trenches on the top really well, the low winter light picks them out beautifully.

 

..and the petition is still open as it was decide to continue it after the SamDev consultation deadline, when the ,at that stage, current petition was handed in.  Please sign it and comment if you haven't done so already.  http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/request-that-shropshire-council-withdraw-proposals-to-build-houses-alongside-old-oswestry-iron-age-hillfort

 

The Facebook Page is kept up to date.. https://www.facebook.com/OldOswestryHillfort

 

and this will be on the Agenda for the next Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council meeting  http://www.2shrop.net/2shropnet/AToZOfMini-sites/S/SelattynAndGobowenParishCouncil/CouncilMeetings

[Gardner 10]

You are able to get very good press coverage. I noticed the large article and photograph of the presentation of the petition in the Tizer a couple of weeks ago. Considering that neither reporters nor any press photographers were there, how do you manage to get your story published so widely?

[Maggie 65]

Thank John Waine (Best of Oswestry) and Kate Clarke. I've had nothing to do with it beyond answering questions when asked an trying to keep everyone up to date with information.  They have used their contacts etc to help the campaign and they have good press contacts.  The numbers signing the petition have been the key to this, that is a story in its own right; but given the amazing Hillfort too...it couldn't help but attract attention.  We have made sure that as many relevant people as possible have been contacted, and because we had such a short time to get a petition going Twitter was invaluable to spread the word internationally via archaeological contacts.  But we also tapped into local feelings, and there were a lot of signatures on the hard copies of the petition around town.  The Hillfort potential development is a big story actually, it is the most contentious one in the Shrops  SamDev proposals and it works on several levels because the hillfort is important for several reasons, archaeology obviously, but also cultural,wildlife and landscape,  emotional, artistic mythological etc. and add in the element of David taking on Goliath and you have a good story that people want to read about.    The local press want something that is relevant, and ideally has a touch of controversy to it, and need facts and reasoned arguments that are simple enough for most people to understand.  I don't think there has been anything as formal as a press release involved in this, but there are plenty of written statements around with chunks that can be used as quotes,  If you are considering a press campaign then is is useful to have a few prepared sentences at hand for if the press phone you so that you don't sound like a prat.  If you are going to write a press release, then put a nice quote in it, and email a high quality photo in too, with its info, names of people, where it is etc.  If there is a lot of detailed information, then do a simple press release and include that data as 'further information'.  

I am sure there is lots of other advice.

[Maggie 65]

The campaign to stop land at Old Port being released for development via the SamDev process has reached an important milestone.  On Thursday there is a meeting between all interested parties (Council's, English Heritage etc).  The campaign has fought by providing facts to refute the arguments to develop, and will continue thus.  The online petition is still open

 http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/request-that-shropshire-council-withdraw-proposals-to-build-houses-alongside-old-oswestry-iron-age-hillfort

We have a newsletter which is around Oswestry, full of information (produced with the money raised by the benefit concert) and there is a Facebook Page for discussion.  Here is the article in the Shropshire Star yesterday.

  http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/10/12/top-level-talks-in-bid-to-safeguard-oswestry-hillfort/

[Parish Clerk 3]

Oswestry Hill fort – Public Drop in Session

Oswestry Town Council has arranged a drop in session for members of the public to meet with Shropshire Council planning officers to look at the preferred SAMdev options for sites adjacent to Oswestry Hill fort.

The event is on Thursday 17 October between 6.00 and 8.30 pm at the Guildhall, Oswestry. This is not a formal meeting but a chance to view information and ask questions in an informal atmosphere.

[Maggie 65]

Os Town Council have a meeting with Engish Heritage today, and will decide whether to support the Sam Dev release of land for housing at Old Port, or not.  This has attracted national attention.  Since it was featured in the Observer 10 days ago  http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/nov/24/old-oswestry-hill-fort-housing-threat there has been an increase in interest, and more people signing the petition. (online now at over 5500, plusthe original 2000 paper petition...)  As a local person I am ashamed to say archeologists have termed this sort of decision made against public opinion 'Oswestry Democracy' and are writing lots of comment in archaeology and heritage web magazines, which can keep up with the rapid events rather better than magazines.  This is the latest: http://heritageaction.wordpress.com/2013/12/05/from-here-to-eternity-a-big-day-for-oswestry/  .  This site is worth following if you are interested because it sees a wider natonal context to what is going on here. 

[Parish Clerk 3]

The Parish Council are going to try and get a representative from English Heritage who has responsibility for the hill Fort to attend the Annual Parish Meeting in May

[Maggie 65]

We are up to 8000 signatures against the development of the fields around Old Oswestry Hillfort yet still the council persist.  There is a useful article in Heritage Action today, and scroll down to the comments to see WHY Shropshire Council have to persist.  This is an important UK wide problem and unfortunately Shropshire Council and the Hillfort are at the forefront.

 

' NPPF (National Planning Policiy Framework) apparently states that if councils do not have a 5 year land supply then any policy they have set down will be overruled by the NPPF’s presumption if favour of development. Shropshire currently has a small short fall which means its Core Strategy policies cannot stand. ' .......... ' All this is contributing/underlining the Old Oswestry situation. The NPPF basically opens the door to developers. If they do not get what they want they can threaten councils with judicial reviews which will then mean huge financial penalties at public expense. Since communities all over Shropshire are in uproar over what is happening to them (E.g. Shifnal now earmarked for 1600 houses way beyond what the community agreed with Shropshire Council), you may understand how Shropshire Council’s hands are now tied.'

 

There is also a development in West Felton which is being forced through by developers using this NPPF presumption for development.

 

The article suggests that people should write to their MPs and to the Planning minister.

 

In the next few days there is likely to be a flurry of comments in the national press so look out for that.  We have already appeared in the Observer and the Times, see the Facebook page for Old Oswestry for the links.