CPRE Leicestershire

 In 2004 CPRE launched a campaign to oppose inappropriately sited telecommunications masts. The problem was, and still is, that just about everyone wants a mobile phone and expects it to work anywhere they go. Where a mast and its antennae present a serious impact on amenity, any such application will be subject to a local authority's Development Control. The details are set out in the Government document Planning Policy Guidance 8.

In September 2008 a request was lodged with Leicestershire County Council for a Scoping Opinion on behalf of Coal UK.  The proposal in question was for what is euphemistically termed a ‘surface mining and restoration scheme’. That’s opencast coal mining to you and me.  The details of the request can be seen here.

Electrical power, like so much of everything else we consume, is often used without a thought of where it comes from. Folks complain if a 'mobile' phone mast is erected in their neighbourhood and yet they are happy to own one or more mobile phones per household; people complain about the loss of greenfield sites to new development - yet we all live on what was once a greenfield site!

A new quarry is being planned immediately to the south-east of Bardon Hill. It is described as a quarry extension as it will link to the existing crushing and screening plant, etc. by conveyor. The immediate reaction to this might be one of total opposition. Realistically, attempting to prevent this development could well result in failure since the likelihood of proving overriding economic need by the applicant is a strong argument in its favour. Leicestershire's 'problem' is that we are the first port of call for hard rock by markets to the south and east.

We have to admit that this is causing us headaches at our Branch Headquarters! Being in the middle of the country and with no large torrents or cascades of water tumbling from high ground we're naturally focusing largely on wind-power as a renewable energy resource, which of course means wind turbines. Since CPRE is perhaps the only significant Third Sector NGO campaigning to maintain a high quality of landscape appearance we face quite a dilemma.

The importance of growing at least some of the food we consume on our own ground or a rented allotment is being thrown into sharp focus by the needs to address harmful climate change and to survive the economic downturn, though not necessarily in that order. The reduced ability to take holidays abroad, pay for energy bills or run private motorised vehicles is making trawling second-hand bookshops and charity shops a popular pastime these days!

Update - April 17th, 2008.

As you will be aware by now, the proposal for an 'eco-town' on the site of the Co-Op's Stoughton Farms Estate to the south-east of Leicester, has been included in the Government's short list of fifteen such proposals in England. To say that we were surprised by the inclusion of Pennbury is an understatement as it has so many unsustainable features it really should figure as an exemplar of what an eco-town should not be!