University professor Clive Church to lead campaign against housing development
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by Gerry
Warren
An expert in politics from the
University of Kent has agreed to head up a new action group
established to fight plans for a huge new housing
development around New House Lane and Cockering Lane, in
Canterbury.
Clive Church, Emeritus Professor of
European Studies in the School of Politics and International
Relations, is to take over as chairman of The Hilltop,
Iffin, Merton and New House Lanes Action Group (HIMN).
The new group is helping residents
respond to the city council’s Local Development Framework
consultation document and represent their interests as the
Framework process goes forward.
Mr Church (pictured right) has
lived in New House Lane for 28 years and is a former chairman of
Thanington Without Civil Parish Council. He also served on the
Canterbury District Committee of the Kent Association of Parish
Councils.
He said: “The job of HIMN is to
ensure that residents are fully represented through the planning
process which is likely to be long drawn out.
"We want to persuade the city
council that its assessment and proposals are flawed. In
particular, we feel that concentrating on one giant development is
the wrong approach.
"It would destroy the very things
which the Council document claims to want to protect and
embellish.
“Putting development west of New
House Lane would harm the city by diminishing two of the most
famous views of the cathedral, those from the hills to the north of
the city and that from New House Lane."
He added: “HIMN accepts that more
housing is needed and it wants to see a successful city which is
attractive to visitors and to business, but it is also convinced
that disproportionate single-site, development will act against the
long-term interests of both city and district.”
Tuesday, February 23 2010
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