Help save the Water Meadows
The Farnham water meadows, Bishops Meadow, are up for sale as land of potential strategic importance. This is because it has been identified by Waverley Borough Council as land that could be used for SANGS.
Farnham is near the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, which has been identified by Natural England as an important nesting area for rare and endangered ground nesting birds. Development is only permitted near this special area if the developer can show that there is alternative space that can be used by the increased population for recreation and these spaces are referred to as SANGS.
I am not against further housing being built in and around Farnham but the town needs more social housing and low cost housing for our young and old, not more executive homes. If the people of Farnham owned and controlled Bishops Meadow we could have a say as to how the SANGs it represents is used and get the development we need.
Over and above this, the water meadows are a valuable open space near the heart of the town and have an important role both for wild life and for flood protection. The people of Farnham should be looking after this for future generations.
You can help with this. Sign the on-line petition here
Write to your local councilor. Follow the support given by the Liberal Democrats at http://www.mikesimpson.org.uk
Soon we will be launching a fund to raise the money to buy the land for the people and to register the land as a town common. Watch the local press and our web sites for more information.
Help save the water meadows – they are for you.