What's wrong with the Proposed New Town?
Inevitably opposition is claimed to be "NIMBYism" (Not in my back yard) - but our opposition is built on much more specific and significant reasons.
Fundamentally, we believe that the site selection is not driven by ANY sound planning criteria but an opportunistic way to get rid of a site which has been a problem to Wychavon for years. [locals will remember all the various attempts to utilise the land for numerous unsuitable purposes]
Since its being proposed in 2019 (when, whilst other sites had detailed plans Throckmorton was a big circle around a start on the airfield) the SWDPR team appear to have simply sought to find evidence which can support and justify a choice which was already made whilst disregarding everything which questions it.
When this question was raised at a recent forum
The SWDPR team conceded that the Selection of the site (pre 2019) was not in fact a result of the Scoring mechanism detailed in the discredited Sustainability Report (published 2021) but based on 2 criteria:-
a) It is claimed to be a Brown Field Site
b) It is only 3 miles away from a Railway Station
The truth is that due to the various problems with the airfield site including proximity to the tip, Contaminated Land, Archaeology, the foot and mouth burial site; the cost of developing this land is much more than surrounding green field land.
Recent more detailed plans demonstrate this is the case with almost all main residential areas on green field land outside the Airfield perimeter.
The proximity to Pershore railway station is only relevant if people will use it to make their journeys. At the same forum the SWDPR team claimed there is a "Modal shift in transport" - which may be true, though all current evidence shows that this shift is to electric vehicles not to trains. The negligible use of trains from the recent developments on Station Road Pershore demonstrate this.
In short, neither of these base justifications stand up to scrutiny
.... But there are other problems
Any new development has to go somewhere so even if it is not BROWN FIELD .... why not Throckmorton?
A development of this scale has to contain infrastructure and the SWDPR team proudly tell us that they plan for the Town to be largely self supporting, so it could go anywhere. If this is the case why NOT Throckmorton??
URBANISATION
The scale of this development is essentially another town the size of Pershore. Between Throckmorton and Pershore are distinct rural communities Hill and Moor, Wyre Piddle, Pinvin .... and around them many more.
Even now the expansion of Pershore and additional building in Pinvin and elsewhere, is eroding the boundaries between communities.
THROCK- SHORE will be the inevitable consequence of the New Town Development
This is not carefully considered planned design - but urbanisation on a large scale and the reckless destruction of a vast swathe of rural Worcestershire
LOCATION & TRANSPORT
The location is not close to major commuter destinations but between Worcester one way and Evesham and beyond the other, lying on an already stressed transport corridor along the A44.
Whilst the original consultation claimed there would be little to no North South commuting - residents know the popularity of routes up through Upton and Inkberrow to Redditch and Birmingham, and south through Pershore to the M5 south, Cheltenham and beyond.
Yet we are told to have faith - more people will be working at home and the need to travel to major centres will be minimal. However if this claim proves wrong, it is both existing and new residents who will have to live with the consequences.
IF WE DO NOT TAKE ACTION THIS NEW TOWN WILL HAPPEN AND CHANGE OUR LOCAL ENVIROMENT FOR EVER!