Thursday 11 December 2014

Brookfield update - current application 'disposed of' by Corby Borough Council

One of my favourite quotations is from Edmund Burke - the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Sometimes, you know in your heart something is just plain wrong.

Don't sit back and think somebody else will do something, because we all know what will happen if everybody thinks like that.  You need to act.

This is what happened when we heard of the plans to destroy Brookfield.  We all did something. 

For two years we've been campaigning to save Brookfield from the plans to destroy 120 acres of trees and grassland - have I mentioned that's equivalent to 70 football pitches? - and replace it with waste plants.

Brookfield, a beautiful woodland, home to Chalky the white stag, his son Snowy, the rest of the fallow deer herd whose ancestors have roamed Rockingham Forest for centuries, plus protected species like great crested newts, bats, badgers and red kite.

One of the last remaining woodlands on the outskirts of Corby - yet it was deemed cheaper to destroy the trees and wildlife habitat than to redevelop other previously-used contaminated land that was standing empty.

Well, we weren't going to let that happen.  We've had peaceful protest marches, written numerous letters to the council, Lee and Corinna gave guided walks, we had a high profile media and social media campaign and kept on fighting.

As you've probably now heard, Corby Borough Council have 'disposed' of the application.  This means that they will not consider it in its current form, but it hasn't been rejected outright so the developer could re-apply.

So, as I've previously said, in the words of Lenny Kravitz 'it ain't over till it's over', and I for one won't rest until Brookfield is safe forever - we now need to get protected status for it to prevent future applications.

But for now at least Chalky and the trees are safe.  It's the best Christmas present Corby Borough Council could have given the town and its villages.  Thank you for all your support.

No comments:

Post a Comment