Save Westbury-on-Severn Primary School Playing Field

10/01/2022

Westbury-on-Severn Parish Council want to increase the precept to cover up to £100,000 expenditure on their graveyard extension project. They were going to organise a public consultation on this but because the planning approval elapses in the summer they have abandoned any consultation.
The problem is that this increase in council tax will not be known to most parishioners until it is too late and is included in demands from 1st April 2022. If you are opposed to paying for the cost of the burial ground extension and think this money would be better spent elsewhere please contact the Clerk to the Parish Council Mrs Wallbank ([email protected]) to let the Parish Council know.

11/06/2019

Very disappointingly and despite Sue's brilliant speech, the planning committee voted 3 to 8 to support the graveyard extension application.

It was a very frustrating 2 hours. Ultimately, to conform with their own planning guidelines, the committee was forced to reject the clearly stated views of both Sports England and the School Governors / Parents, that the application would result in a net loss of facilities for the children. Genuinely bizarre.

There may be ways to appeal, but the conditions that are attached to the decision may well provide a better opportunity to prevent this.

Thanks to everyone who got involved. We're not done yet!

04/06/2019

Thanks for your support today. I know many more were there in spirit but couldn't be there in person because of work and other commitments. There were a few more of us as well (not on photos) including Rev Steve. Disappointingly the planning officer is recommending approval of the application despite our objections and Sport England's but the decision rests with Planning Committee and they will make their decision next Tuesday 11th at 2pm. If you can please attend this meeting to show your opposition that would be great, as this is our last chance to make our case.

03/06/2019

The councillors who sit on the District Council's Planning Committee will be visiting the school fields tomorrow at 10.30am (ahead of determining the Planning Application next week (on Tuesday 11th June). This is a closed meeting of the Planning Committee so they can look at the site. They won't hear any representations from the public but we can observe. Anyone good at making banners?!!

25/04/2019

Update from Kate Robinson...

Make sure you vote on 2 May 2019 in the Forest of Dean District Council elections!!

There are 4 candidates standing in Westbury. This is what they think about the cemetery extension into the school playing field:

Benjamin Webb – Labour 😀 AGAINST
“100% against the proposed cemetery expansion”.

Gwyn Evans – Independent 😀 AGAINST
“…the parish council have always intended to use the land for a graveyard but I do not think that it is an appropriate place for a burial ground be so close to a school”.

Kate Robinson – Conservative 😀 WORK TO FIND SOLUTION
"I’m not satisfied with the planning application in its current form. However I would like to use my role as councillor to find constructive solutions rather than simply oppose. So if elected I would be looking to find a practical way of retaining the sports field for the school and finding additional space for burials for Westbury Parish else where. The best way of protecting a sports field is not necessarily through planning but rather to seek protected status as a sports playing field".

Simon Phelps – Independent 😡 FOR
This is the Parish Council’s application. Simon Phelps is the Parish Council’s Vice Chair so is fully behind this proposal. Simon is our present District Councillor.

23/04/2019

Make sure you vote on 2 May 2019 in the Forest of Dean District Council elections!!

There are 4 candidates standing in Westbury. This is what they think about the cemetery extension into the school playing field:

Benjamin Webb – Labour 😀 AGAINST
“100% against the proposed cemetery expansion”.

Gwyn Evans – Independent 😀 AGAINST
“…the parish council have always intended to use the land for a graveyard but I do not think that it is an appropriate place for a burial ground be so close to a school”.

Kate Robinson – Conservative 😀 WORK TO FIND SOLUTION
"I’m not satisfied with the planning application in its current form. However I would like to use my role as councillor to find constructive solutions rather than simply oppose. So if elected I would be looking to find a practical way of retaining the sports field for the school and finding additional space for burials for Westbury Parish else where. The best way of protecting a sports field is not necessarily through planning but rather to seek protected status as a sports playing field".

Simon Phelps – Independent 😡 FOR
This is the Parish Council’s application. Simon Phelps is the Parish Council’s Vice Chair so is fully behind this proposal. Simon is our present District Councillor.

16/04/2019

"School playing fields are still being sold off at an alarming rate – 215 since 2010. That is a national scandal, given that a third of children aged two to 15 — almost four million in total — are overweight or obese"...

THE GMB trade union has rightly drawn attention to the fact school playing fields are still being sold off at an alarming rate – 215 since 2010. That is a national scandal, given that a third of ch…

27/03/2019

It's like Brexit it goes on and on and on and on! Hey ho here's the latest... The Parish Council have until 11th May to provide information repeatedly asked of them by Sport England which they have repeatedly failed to deliver. (Sport England's primary concern is that the replacement playing field is located in the flood zone 3, which could result in the playing field being out of use more often than the current
playing field). The application is now set to go to Planning Committee on 14th June. Whether or not the information on drainage will be forthcoming, we will have to wait and see. I can't see how the bottom field can be drained adequately without it leading to local flooding elsewhere!!!

21/01/2019

The latest is... Westbury-on-Severn Parish Council have submitted a Ground Investigation Report to the planning department at FoDDC but as they haven't given further information about:
- drainage details (as the proposed replacement field is in the flood plain - worst flood zone, zone 3!!);
- what they think about Sport England's idea of providing a polymeric surface (multi-skills surface) to replace the existing playground;
- alternative sites; and
- boundary (fence/hedging) details,
they have been given more time to provide this.

You can comment on the application until 13 March 2019, it's easy just email the planning case officer - [email protected]. Please get involved, the Parish C continue to avoid answering the critical questions to railroad this through! Playing fields are a precious resource and should be safeguarded for our kids and their kids!

27/10/2018

Thanks for all your support with our campaign. Please consider adding a comment on the Forest of Dean Website planning page here.

https://publicaccess.fdean.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=PCFH44HIJWZ00

It is really important as your objections will be reported to the Forest of Dean District Council's Planning Committee. They will decide whether this happens or not.

15/10/2018

We attended the Parish Council meeting tonight. The Parish Council still want this to happen despite your objections and 200+ signature petition. Object to the Forest of Dean District Council Planning Department online to increase the pressure. We can stop this! CHILDREN FIRST!!!!

14/10/2018

Hello WOS school friends.
There is a parish council meeting tomorrow (Monday) night at 7pm at the parish hall. The playing fields will be on the agenda so it would be great to have as many parents/friends/kids there as possible to object personally.
Our GCC councillor Richard Boyles and Sport England are on our side.
We can stop this happening!