Countryside-protection group in more Westminster meetings
02 Apr 2007
The Five Parishes Opposition Group (FPOG) and the Kent branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE Kent) have once again met with high-level policymakers to discuss greenfield building plans around the Kent Science Park (KSP) near Sittingbourne. On Wednesday 28 March the two environmental organisations travelled to Westminster and met with Judith Armitt, chief executive of the Thames Gateway. Meetings also took place with Caroline Spelman MP (Conservative) and Dan Rogerson MP (Lib Dem) who hold the ‘Communities and Local Government’ portfolios for their parties.
Left to right Monique: Bonney, Andy Hudson, Dan Rogerson MP, Sue Sills,
Elvi Lowe, Dr Hilary Newport
‘Once again we’ve been able to take our concerns for Sittingbourne’s countryside to the top,’ said FPOG spokeswoman Monique Bonney. ‘We gave presentations on housing, road infrastructure and employment, backed up with maps and photographs, to demonstrate how current KSP proposals threaten enormous damage to our area.
Left to right: Andy Hudson, Gordon Henderson, Caroline Spelman, Sue Sills,
Dr Hilary Newport, Monique Bonney
‘It’s so important for us to get the message across to the policy makers and politicians,’ Monique Bonney said after the meetings. ‘Following our march through Sittingbourne and our visit to Downing Street we have kept the momentum going with today’s meetings, which were extremely constructive.
‘We have to keep letting our leaders know what’s at stake here,’ she continued. ‘Some of north Kent’s loveliest countryside is at grave risk from a misconceived development scheme.’
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