Our fight to save Packsaddle Community Fields is entering its final stage! PLEASE READ ON.
Many of you will have heard through the grapevine, or received an official letter to notify you, that LiveWest’s Planning Application for the construction of 74 new homes on Packsaddle Community Fields has now been submitted. Clearly, this is a disappointing and depressing development, but it is not unexpected. Nor does it mean that we will give up: quite the opposite.
We know that many of you will be angry, agitated, anxious. We want to reassure you that a plan is in place and that we’re working hard on your behalf. Crucially, we want to assure you that we can still win!
Now more than ever, the community needs to come together and make its voice heard. Please, we need your help. Now is the time!
Specifically, can we please ask you to…..
1. ‘Hold your fire’ for now. We understand that the urge to respond quickly and emotionally is strong, but we would recommend that you instead wait for us to share with you our strategy and advice please. See below the date for a Public Meeting next week and please, please attend if you possibly can.
2. Get these important dates in your diary:
Thursday 1st June, 2000hrs, Frome Rugby Club: People for Packsaddle (PfP) Public Meeting
Sunday 11th June, 1200-1500hrs, Packsaddle Community Fields: PfP ‘Nature Watch’ day, part of national ‘Great Big Green Week’ (“the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature”).
Wednesday 14th June, 1900hrs, Frome Town Hall, Christchurch Street East, BA11 1EB: FTC ‘Full Council Meeting’
Friday 23rd June, 2000hrs, Frome Rugby Club: PfP community (fundraising) quiz night
Thursday 29th June, 1830hrs, Frome Town Hall, Christchurch Street East, BA11 1EB: Frome Town Council (FTC) ‘Planning Meeting’
Tuesday 4th July, deadline for comments on the Live West planning application. Click here for details on how to respond.
Print them out, stick them on your fridge!
We will stay in touch with Supporters and share more information in the run-up to each of these events. Strong attendance from the community AT ALL OF THEM is imperative, I cannot stress that enough.
We really need people to show up and show their determination. Please don’t leave it to other people or until next time. There may not be a ‘next time’.
3. Continue to do the ‘little things’. If you’ve not already, please…..
· put a poster up in your window or in your car
· connect with us on either Facebook or Instagram
· tell your family, friends and neighbours to sign-up as Supporters to make sure we can keep in touch with them – they can do that here (please send them the link or direct them to our website.)
· speak to the people in your street to impress upon them the real, impending threat of development. Get them involved!
· take and share a pic or a video of you and your family enjoying the fields
· forward this mail to friends and family
· stay positive, keep the faith!
Doing ‘your bit’ does make a difference. If we all do the ‘little things’, it soon adds up!
4. Donate to the campaign. We’re sorry to ask again but this final stage of our battle is going to be an expensive one. We need more expert legal advice and it’s not cheap. This is our last chance and, unless we can raise significant sums in the days ahead, we simply can’t afford the ‘firepower’ we need. Click here to donate.
If you’re able to donate, thank you. If you’re not, we completely understand, please support the campaign in other ways.
Thank you to everyone who has been in touch over the last day or two. I will try to respond to all messages as soon as I can. If you’d like to get in touch with me, please feel free to do so on this email address. I hope to see you all next Thursday, 1st June, 2000hrs, at Frome Rugby Club.
Thank you all so, so much for your support,
Toby and the PfP Steering Group
