Thanks, but no thanks

• June Player, Protect Bath and 24 speakers at a five hour planning meeting versus Bath Western Riverside

The proposed Bath Western Riverside development has met stern opposition throughout its progress through planning. Plans to build some 2,000 homes on the Bath site, drawn up by Crest Nicholson with masterplanner Llewelyn Davies Yeang, are a response to the government’s call for more housing on the brownfield areas of Bath. As well as housing, the scheme includes a primary school, two parks, managed student housing and retail.

The scheme won conditional outline planning approval a year ago, but only received full outline plus detailed permission for the first phase last November. That meeting lasted five hours as 24 opponents of the scheme had their say. Oldfield Park resident June Player is a member of one of the opposing groups, Protect Bath.

Who’s campaigning?

Protect Bath is an independent organisation, comprising around 50 people.

What are you campaigning against?

The development is an eyesore and is not in harmony with what is already there. Plus, the buildings are too tall and too angular. The development is much larger than people think – it is the same size as The Circus.

Why are you opposing this development?

For a start, the buildings are out of character with the rest of Bath and are not dissimilar to a multi-storey car park. Also, the flats are being publicised as cheap housing, but what do they class as affordable? They are asking £145,000 for a one-bed studio flat – ridiculous!

What progress has your campaign made?

Although Bath council has agreed to it, we are waiting on Hazel Blears MP to make a decision [to call in the scheme]. Public support, however, has been immense and I don’t just mean old grannies like myself.

How are you building support?

I got an exhibition up and running. A huge number of people came – it brought the development very much into the public eye.

Have you opposed a development before?

I am not anti-development, but this development does not make sense. Bath should have a heritage protection system.

• Novelist Philip Pullman, Morse’s Sergeant Lewis and the Jericho Community Boatyard group versus Castlemore’s Spring Residential

Spring Residential’s proposal to redevelop the former Castle Mill boatyard in Oxford has become a cause célèbre – literally, with His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman, Morse actor Kevin Whately and zoologist Desmond Morris adding weight to the Jericho Community Boatyard’s protest. Spring wants to develop a four-storey apartment building on the site, but their application was rejected last December and the scheme has now gone to appeal.

Jericho Community Boatyard invited Bio-Regional to come up with alternative development proposals for the boatyard, but these were rejected by landowner British Waterways.

The boatyard has been a source of inspiration to Philip Pullman and features in the first book in his trilogy His Dark Materials. Scenes for the film of the book were shot in Jericho. Pullman has taken a high-profile stance in the campaign.

Who’s campaigning?

The Jericho Community Boatyard Ltd.

What are you campaigning against?

The proposal to develop the boatyard on the Oxford Canal at Jericho.

‘I am not anti-development but this one does not make sense. Bath should have a heritage protection system’

June Player

Why are you opposing this development?

Because it doesn’t seem to have been drawn up with the slightest attempt to preserve a working boatyard. The idea is to build 40 or so flats in a small space – to cram in as many as they can, sell them quickly at a big profit, and get out. The space does need to be developed – no-one disputes that. But there should be a working boatyard at the heart of it, to allow the canal itself and the way of life of the boat-owners to continue. It’s been a part of Oxford for 150 years at least; it’s a viable, low-energy, historically interesting and important part of the whole life of the city.

What progress has your campaign made?

We have succeeded in persuading the council to refuse planning permission, but the developers are appealing.

How are you building support?

Whatever works and is legal. Demonstrations, letters to the press, persuasion.

Have you opposed a development before?

Me personally? No.

How do you rate your chances are of winning the campaign?

Very difficult to say. There is a lot of local support, and it has made a few national newspapers; when people have it explained to them, they are generally strongly on our side.

Has your celebrity profile helped gain support?

It’s hard for me to say. I suppose so, or the boat-owners wouldn’t have asked me to help.

• Roger Weston and the Much Wenlock 7 versus Bridgnorth Council

When the picturesque Shropshire town of Much Wenlock suffered flash flooding last summer, seven residents decided to take action. Since then they have been campaigning against residential development in the town in their bid to get the local authority to take action on flooding, drainage and town centre traffic congestion. They have vowed to fight Shropshire Affordable Homes’ proposal to develop 12 shared equity homes in the town, and in a separate move used planning legislation to force a parish referendum last December which called for a ban on all development. The referendum went in their favour but carries no influence, although the idea has since been picked up by another community, in nearby Holinswood and Randlay. Roger Weston is one of the seven originators of Much Wenlock’s burgeoning anti-development campaign.

Who’s campaigning?

It started with the seven of us. Three of us were affected by the flooding, and two were concerned about the traffic. Now we have the support of the 461 people who voted against development in the parish referendum.

What are you campaigning against?

We’re disappointed by the inaction of the local authority. The floods of last June brought it all to a head, as then people realised that development without infrastructure, like drainage improvements, was not a good idea. Development is ruining the town. We have severe traffic problems and there is pollution. Developers just put the homes in and go and we are left to deal with the consequences.

What progress has your campaign made?

We used the internet to research planning and discovered that we could use the 1972 Local Government Act to force a referendum. The 461 who voted represented 97% backing for us.

We sent a letter to the prime minister Gordon Brown and to Hazel Blears letting them know the outcome. We’ve had a letter back from Gordon Brown’s office saying that they’ll deal with it. Hazel Blears’ office hasn’t responded yet. It has rattled a few cages at the council.

How are you building support?

We’ve done a lot of research into planning via the internet. We’re getting support from the press and we’ve been in contact with our local MP Philip Dunne.

‘The idea is to cram in as many flats as they can, sell them at a big profit, and get out’

Philip Pullman

Have you opposed development before?

I’ve been campaigning against a development of 33 homes for a year. That has now gone to the planning inspector.

We are in favour of developing what’s required. But Much Wenlock is a historic market town and the feeling is that it is inappropriate to keep building houses here. The new homes are attracting more and more new people from outside into the town, while people here can’t afford to live here. I’ve got family who can’t afford to live here. There are no jobs so everyone who lives here has to commute. There is no joined-up thinking.

• Peter Adams, Kirstie Allsopp and Cancel Mansell versus Nigel Mansell

Just over a year ago, former grand prix racing driver Nigel Mansell suffered defeat at the hands of residents in east Devon, when plans to extend his Dunkeswell go-kart racing track into a bigger venue complete with restaurant and flats were rejected by the council. Excessive noise, traffic and general appearance were cited as the main reasons for rejection, and Mansell was forced to reconsider the multi-million pound scheme.

Now Mansell has come back with a second proposal. A group of local campaigners, collectively known as protest group Cancel Mansell, are outraged. Fronted by TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp, the campaign continues with the help of local residents including Peter Adams.

Who’s campaigning?

Our newsletter goes out to more than 100 people.

What are you campaigning against?

We are protesting against the plans by Nigel Mansell to upgrade the kart racing track. It lies at the top of the Blackdown Hills and if plans went ahead it would destroy the area. Although the plans were rejected in January 2007, he has hit back with a further, albeit slightly tamer, proposal, which has outraged local residents.

Why are you opposing this development?

Among other factors, the levels of noise at Dunkeswell are already intolerable and would get even worse if the plans went ahead. All you would hear would be the sound of the track, from nine in the morning to six at night. The Dunkeswell area is highly rural and the plans are totally inappropriate – they would ruin tourism for the area completely.

What progress has your campaign made?

The Cancel Mansell campaign already has a lot of support. The Campaign to Protect Rural England has been a great help to us and everyone in the area is behind this.

The one positive thing is that the council has already limited track opening hours through the year, but there is still a way to go.

How are you building support?

We are trying to raise the profile of the cause in order to get more support. The newsletter is also a way of keeping people informed.

Are you active in your community?

Yes, I am. I regularly attend parish meetings and I feel a great sense of responsibility to the area in which I live. There is an element of being a NIMBY, of course, but the area would be ruined if the race track were to be expanded and you would only have to visit to understand that.

Has the support of celebrity Kirstie Allsopp helped your campaign?

Kirstie hasn’t been involved in the campaign for a year or so but she lends her support to the cause and it definitely helps. She has raised the profile through interviews with local and national papers.

• Tessa Robertson and The Dever Society versus Eagle Star's proposed eco town

Gordon Brown’s call for 10 eco-towns has caused a wave of protest across the country as developers let their imaginations loose with plans for up to 20,000 new homes, often in the greenbelt. As vice-chair of the Dever Society, Tessa Roberstson is at the forefront of fighting plans by Eagle Star Estates to build a new town of 12,500 homes in rural mid-Hampshire. The Micheldever Station project, which started as a 5,000-home scheme in 1990, now includes five primary schools, two secondary schools, playing fields, offices, industrial development, churches, cemeteries and allotments.

Who’s campaigning?

‘Eagle Star thinks if it promotes the town as environmental it will get through. It won’t’

Tessa Robertson

We formed the Dever Society in 1990 in response to the first Eagle Star plan and now there are 7,000 of us, through our affiliations with the Civic Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. We’re also registered as a charity. We held a public meeting about the eco-town in December and around 200 people attended.

What are you campaigning against?

We are adamant that there should not be a massive new development in the middle of rolling fields and beautiful countryside. It’s a socking great thing and will have a hugely adverse impact on neighbouring towns, such as Basingstoke, not to mention local infrastructure.

Why are you opposing this development?

Eagle Star has been turned down before with this but they have come back, using this new eco-town policy to promote it. It is outrageous. They don’t give a damn about the environment. They think that if they get on the bandwagon and promote it as environmental, it might get through. It won’t. It is the wrong place and absolutely no one around here wants it.

What progress has your campaign made?

Aside from the public meeting we have had a 42-page planning report delivered to communities secretary Hazel Blears setting out the strong planning case against the new town. I knew nothing about planning before all of this but now I am quite an expert. Ask me anything about the South-east plan! We have also consulted Morag Ellis QC, who is an expert in planning matters.

How are you building support?

We send out news releases and have been in the papers and on radio but, to be honest, we don’t need to build support. Everyone around here agrees with us. Our biggest threat is Gordon Brown and having to convince the government that this is in the totally wrong place.

Have you opposed a development before?

We say that the Dever Society works to conserve, protect and celebrate Hampshire’s rural heartland. We don’t make a point of picking on every planning application and do, in fact, lend our support to some schemes. We make sure that what is built will benefit us.

• Dave Hoefling and the Somers Town People’s Forum versus Gordon Brown and the King’s Cross medical research centre

Last December prime minister Gordon Brown backed plans for a £500m medical research centre to be built on a site in the capital between the British Library and the St Pancras Eurostar terminal. The project, backed by the Medical Research Council, will house 1,500 scientists and support staff, working on a range of bioscience projects. Opposition to the plan has come from the Somers Town Peoples Forum, who have spent months campaigning against the sale of the 3.6 acre site. They want the land used for affordable housing instead. Chairman Dave Hoefling is leading the campaign.

Who’s campaigning?

Around 115 people signed up for the forum when it first began and we have regular meetings, although less people attend those. We are the hardcore protesters.

What are you campaigning against?

Residents of Somers Town have been the subject of adversity for many years. First it was the British Library, then King’s Cross and now the Research Medical Centre. For 30-odd years we have had developments imposed on us and never received anything back.

Why are you opposing this development?

Somers Town is a dwindling community and having lived here all my life it saddens me to see residents being pushed out. It is the politics of greed. The medical centre will cause havoc with the animal rights movements as animal testing will certainly be taking place, and then there is always the risk of animals escaping from the laboratories. And terrorism is also a factor – the centre could be a prime target for bombs.

We need more housing, not vast pointless developments. Statistics show that the average life expectancy of people in Somers Town is 69, compared to 81 years in places like Highgate or Hampstead. This is down to poor housing.

What progress has your campaign made?

It is hard to tell. We’ve had more help from those on the right than we thought – key players seem more willing to help us.

Have you opposed a development before?

I am not a NIMBY as I don’t have a backyard, so how can I be? I am a grandfather now and my grandkids have nowhere to play.