Tewkesbury Battlefield under threat

[joroas]

Just read this in the local paper:

CAMPAIGNERS hoping to stop an historic battlefield site from being sold off are hoping to use planning law to slow its sale down.

Members of Tewkesbury Battlefield Society organised a packed meeting at the Royal Hop Pole pub to decide how to tackle the sale of two fields off Gloucester Road, known as the Gastons, by Tewkesbury School's governors.

The 10.5 acre fields are the location of the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471, in which Richard III fought as the then 18-year-old Duke of Gloucester.

The Battlefield Society faces an uphill struggle to amass between £120,000 and £150,000 to buy the fields – the estimated value of the site, by February 3, in the form of sealed bids.

Chairman Steve Goodchild said buying the land and putting it into the hands of a new community trust would prevent it being built on – preserving a site of national historical importance.

He said: "We don't know what might happen in 10 or 15 years time if it gets in the wrong hands, after all the available land has been built on.

"The biggest threat is someone might buy it and neglect it."

There are concerns that, although it is a registered battlefield, that a property developer might buy it and prevent public access – paving the way for development decades in the future.

Julian Humphreys, of the Battlefield Trust, who was also at the meeting, said: "We want to preserve something for the future. National Planning Policy Framework says developments on registered battlefields should be wholly exceptional.

"There isn't a hope in hell of building on that land."

Campaigners are hoping to have the Gastons declared a Designated Community Asset, under the Localism Bill, which should give them up to six months to find the money to buy it, under the Community Right to Bid. They set up a steering group to push forward action in the next few weeks.

Although they suspect any bid to get planning permission for housing on the 10.5 acres of land would be rejected, they fear public access to it, such as for dog walking and wildlife watching, might be prevented. Gloucestershire County Councillor for Tewkesbury East, Vernon Smith, said he would be happy to take the steering committee's request for help to the next cabinet meeting on Monday.

"It's important that they get a detailed proposal together as quickly as possible."


Read more: http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Plans-gain-time-bid-save-battlefield-site/story-20412919-detail/story.html#ixzz2pnfR9DeH

[Atheling]

It amazes me that such sites are sold off in the first place! We need some laws in the UK to protect battlefield sites as there is still a great deal that we can learn from them

If it goes it will truly be a tragedy! 

I will be getting involved as much as i can but my health prevents direct action which may be needed!

Darrell.

[Gary Peach]

The 'value' of the land amuses me...  10 New houses - @250k each...  with build costs average £80k per house...  I have it from developers ...  I would say the land is worth much much more...

as a very Historical site...

The School needs money  how else can they raise it???

Any chance of a history centre perhaps on Britains Battle Field history etc.

[H.M.Stanley]

When you've sold off all the family silver, and spend the cash, what have you got left?

Shame on the School i say

[Atheling]

When you've sold off all the family silver, and spend the cash, what have you got left?

Shame on the School i say

Hit the nail on the head James. Battlefield sites are more than just archaeology and history, they are the site of many a human beings early and brutal demise. Selling the land is preposterous in my humble opinion.

Darrell.

[Gibby]

Hopefully they will organise some kind of online donation effort and publicise it around various sites of interest.

[janner]

I'll check to see what the Battlefields Trust are up to, we just stopped a wind turbine being built on Sedgemoor. So sometimes community pressure can work.

[Atheling]

Hopefully they will organise some kind of online donation effort and publicise it around various sites of interest.

One would think so.... May well be a good time to employ someone like Robert Hardy to act as a kind of media figurehead. I'd imagine that he's already aware of the situation as regards the sale of the fields?

Darrell.

[janner]

On the first Sunday of each month from October 2013 to April 2014 the Tewkesbury Battlefield Society will be leading a 2 hour long guided walk over the site of Edward IV’s decisive victory during the Wars of the Roses.

Meet at 2.30 pm, at the Abbey gate in the Crescent, (Junction of Church Street and Gander Lane), Post Code GL20 5PD.
Contact name : Steve Goodchild
Contact phone : 01684 294939

Next one is 2nd Feb 

[joroas]

I live 15 minutes away from there and a chap from Denmark knows more than I......

Must go on one of those tours...... 

[Atheling]

I live 15 minutes away from there and a chap from Denmark knows more than I......

Must go on one of those tours...... 

You must!

 

[janner]

I live 15 minutes away from there and a chap from Denmark knows more than I......

Must go on one of those tours...... 

Don't be too harsh on yourself, I'm a British member of the Battlefields Trust living in Denmark.

But as Atheling says, 'You must!' 

[Atheling]

Don't be too harsh on yourself, I'm a British member of the Battlefields Trust living in Denmark.

But as Atheling says, 'You must!' 

Quite! 

Darrell.

[joroas]

Well, that is Gloucester Minicon on the 26th and Tewks on the 2nd, a busy week.

[joroas]

Was going to go this Sunday but, as Tewkesbury is currently under flood alert, I'll wait until next month.