Developers push to build on green land

Today and yesterday the public enquiry heard the appeal of Linden Homes against the refusal of  permission for them to build on land to the north of the market town of Beverley.  The government has set up a presumption in favour of new build, but Beverley, like towns all over the country, is holding out.  Even the Tory-led East Riding Council can see that all this building is not good news, but the Condems are desperate to have 'growth' by any means...and they see the construction industry as the answer. 

They are so wrong.  As a resident and Green Party member I pointed out that flooding will increase if more land is covered in concrete, since drains already under pressure will take additional surges of run-off water,  and that more suburbs do not contribute to a sense of place or to the local economy.  Executive homes are not whats needed ...whats needed is every bit of green land to stay that way as we need to grow food locally in light of climate change and peak resources.

We just have to hope that the investigator can see what is going on: settlements under seige from developers egged on by an amazingly unwise and short-sighted government.

Government-funded Hawkers

Yesterday an 18 year old knocked on our door saying he was on a programme to help him get work.  He wanted to join the navy and wanted to sell us stuff.  It was raining so we asked him in and gave him a cuppa.  He told us his history:  adolescent unit due to fighting in school in Hull;  qualifications in bricklaying etc, but now on some govt scheme for young offenders based in Nottingham.  They are bused all over the place (we live in East Yorkshire).  We said you'd better show us your wares.  We looked in dismay at the contents of his bag.. ironing board covers, 'screen cleaners' and other rubbish.  We didnt want any of it, but to help him we bought 2 veg peelers and a drain cleaner (if you buy 3 items he gets a bonus) - each £9.99 and made in China.  The drain cleaner broke on 1st application......

So the question is:  WHY is the government funding youngsters to  hawk trashy products (the components of which are wrenched from the long-suffering environment) when they could be supporting schemes to train them to do useful green work ?  I wonder if its because that would take a bit of effort?  Is this what we want our taxes to pay for?

Eco-house - York

Fancy a break in our homely Victorian eco-house?  It supports our green campaigning and lots of charities.  The lamp is made from a plastic milk bottle by a friend.  www.fairfaxcorner.co.uk  .  The house is very cosy - it now has secondary glazing (wooden frames made by local chippy Brian), additional internal walls built by Mike from Driffield, and most furnishings come from charity shops.  Energy is saved through having lots of pots and cutlery so that the dishwasher can be completely filled before running, and  (despite the Tourism inspectors' modernist requirements) we refuse to have an electric drying facility - instead we have washing lines outside in the yard and an airer (or kreel) in the kitchen.  There's solar water heating (backed by gas) and electricity from Good Energy (100% renewable power).  There are recycling bins in the kitchen including a compost bin which can be emptied down the road in the community garden - which is a good place to meet the neighbours as they come to empty theirs!  York's a great place to visit and we do discounts for people who dont bring a car (the house is very central and a short walk from the rail station). 

Flooding on Beverley Westwood, East Yorkshire

More flooding in Beverley late December,  despite the  installation of the new  expensive water tanks 'downstream' of this shot.  Springs could be seen bubbling up just behind me - which I'd never seen there before.

...Mrs Scrooge

...a retrospective shot: small demonstration of reusing cards -squeezed in between the (very inadequate) rubbish bin and a lampost in Beverley's Christmas Fair.  I was challenged by the fair organisers and assured them I wasn't selling anything - in fact I was giving away fudge - and non-consumerist ideas!

Trees and politics

HEYwoods should be helping to warn the wider public of growing ecological problems - and the implications for humanity.  Unfortunately many people don't want to know and/or think it won't affect them personally ('not in my lifetime' they so often say).   However - it is the the duty of local (and national) government to try to inform and educate.

I feel we should not underplay the seriousness of  ash dieback  - because it's just one more symptom of a planetary disease.  Trees are the most visible lungs of the planet, and I feel it's no coincidence that many  tree species around the world are now diseased and succumbing to the increasingly disastrous effects of the activities of our species.  It's  been a love-hate relationship between humanity and trees -  in the ancient past we lived amongst them,  and then we venerated them.  We are healed by their presence and we copy their shapes in our architecture (cf  the columns and vaulting of our cathedrals) ,  but as our numbers and technology increased we began to decimate them  for building and burning, and simply making space and light  for crops, animals and buildings.  Our life spans are so short compared with trees that we fail to see the long term view - and they are unable to explain to us (Tolkein makes this point through the Ents in The Lord of the Rings!)

No wonder green activists are often called 'tree huggers' - trees symbolise the much bigger picture that the green movement tries to make everyone aware of.

In terms of what should be done locally: yes we need urgently to plant trees,  aiming for diversity and resilience as well as use... permaculture in fact.  We also need to educate, because the underlying problem is rampant 'growth' -based politics  which - on a finite planet  - is working to annihilate not only trees but all of us. 

So I would suggest that we start to plan for the creation of a woodland park as a permaculture show-case  (alongside all the other planting which is necessary).  This would be highly appropriate for Hull and East Riding  - not least to increase its tourism 'product' !

best wishes to all for 2013

Shan Oakes

Hull and  East Riding Green Party

Beverley & East Riding Friends of the Earth

Cobblers to the Council!

East Riding Council is threatening the imminent removal of the historic setts (cobblestones) in the market place....so...the message today was Save Our Setts and ....Cobblers to the Council! This was just the first of a list of other important issues to be dealt with.

I spoke with MP Graham Stuart at the end and asked him what the Tory Government does about errant Tory councils like this one... 'surely you're not proud of the way they carry on?' I asked.  He replied that it's democracy - people vote for them....!