Response from Ms Kerstin Nagel (Individual)
1. Ms Kerstin Nagel (Individual) : 27 Jan 2016 14:04:00
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Planned Development within Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of Silverdale
Dear Madames and Sirs,
herewith I wish to comment, as encouraged by you, in writing regarding the Development Plan for the AONB regarding Silverdale.
I am against any ‘new built’ houses (apart of sensibly built council houses for local people) as they will have a huge impact on the whole character of the village.
They would ruin the charming unique rural character of the Silverdale village. Everybody says, ‘how beautiful Silverdale is’ – because it is still largely unspoilt (apart of the four surrounding Caravan Sites).
Another point is with regard to the traffic – New houses would mean more cars will be on the road, going daily in and out of the village – when the roads are already congested, largely because of the extra people from the caravan sites. Soon it will be unbearable! It will also be more dangerous, because of the narrow roads and the increased parking on the roadsides.
My opinion is that ‘our’ village has contributed towards developments with the hundreds of caravans in close proximity to Silverdale enough already.
Why should we sacrifice precious green field land (used as farmland) to new buildings, when it is needed to keep the traditional farming alive? In the leaflet ‘Explore Silverdale Village’ Martin Fishwick wrote, “There has been a historic loss of viable grazeable limestone grassland … this has led to a reduction from the high teens of farms in the 1950s to just four today.” Farming’s ‘custodianship’ is vital to the maintenance of the landscape.
There are currently about 40 houses empty and for sale. We should rather convert and renovate the existing empty buildings for ‘affordable housing’ to prevent ‘new build’ on green sites.
Why build on important green field land to the detriment of wildlife, when there is enough ‘brown field’ land available - for instance in Lancaster, where abandoned former factory buildings (on St. George’s Quay) are about to be demolished. New houses there would have ‘river view’ and the entire infrastructure on the door step.
If one would allow building of new houses in Silverdale this would mean, that the people would nevertheless have to commute to Lancaster (for work or school).
This seems to be so ridiculous!
I hope you will consider my opinion and agree to save Silverdale’s special character as an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” by not building new houses.
To finish with a quotation from Roger Scruton in the ‘Sunday Telegraph’:
“The green fields are a ‘symbol of everything permanent, cherished, and consoling.’ We must protect what’s left of them because they are ‘an immovable part of what we are.’”
In that sense: Please keep Silverdale green and beautiful!
Yours sincerely,
Kerstin Nagel,