The Good Fight - A Story of Resilience in the Face of Adversity
The Good Fight - A Story of Resilience in the Face of Adversity
This case is raising funds for its stretch target. Your pledge will be collected within the next 24-48 hours (and it only takes two minutes to pledge!)
Latest: Oct. 20, 2024
In the Eye of the Storm?
If you are wondering what has been going on since our last update the answer is not very much, at least that is, when it comes to the planning authority's side. However, that has not stopped us f…
Read moreA year ago our local community of Belchamp St Paul situated on the Essex/Suffolk border voted overwhelmingly to oppose a planning application for a large scale ground based solar farm. It wasn’t that people were against solar farms, they were against this solar farm because it would result in the entirely unnecessary loss of 53 hectares of high grade food producing land (see pink mask in photo) for at least the next 40 years, a trend now becoming all too common in the otherwise commendable effort of greening our energy production.
Yes, such projects will help to secure our energy supply but, with half our food coming from other countries, we need food security just as much and can ill afford to lose the land on which to grow it when there are other options.
Despite a vigorous campaign, the local planning authority resolved to grant planning permission in Sept 2024. This was a disappointing outcome for the community after so much hard work but we live in a democracy so the residents were prepared to accept the planning authority’s decision albeit reluctantly.
We do, however, have ongoing concerns about how the decision was arrived at and whether the correct procedure and rules were followed. We have discussed this with lawyers to work out a way forward, which may involve a judicial review claim.
As you might guess, the cost of taking this action is considerable and, if it proceeds to judicial review, will be well beyond the resources of our tiny community of less than 400 souls. We are therefore looking for help in raising the estimated £40,000 we will need to pursue this case.
Please donate as much as you can. All monies raised will go directly to our legal team Richard Buxton Solicitors. Any unspent amounts will go to The Access to Justice Foundation to help others looking to fight injustice.
Once you have made your donation, please be sure to click the link to share our CrowdJustice page with others. This will really help us get to our target.
To follow our progress you can visit our facebook page.
We thank you sincerely for your interest and generosity.
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Belchamp Save Our Soils (BSOS)
Oct. 20, 2024
In the Eye of the Storm?
If you are wondering what has been going on since our last update the answer is not very much, at least that is, when it comes to the planning authority's side. However, that has not stopped us from continuing to work hard by undertaking some intensive in depth research and accumulating a considerable body of supporting evidence that is strengthening our case by the day according to our lawyer.
This new evidence has identified several other remarkably similar cases where, unlike Braintree, a planning application for a large scale solar farm has been refused (either by the relevant planning authority or on appeal) thereby establishing precedence. These planning authorities stood fast and applied planning policy as it is meant to be. One of these cases even went to judicial review thereby creating case law in our favour. This means that, were we to win, others facing similar treatment would be able to draw on our experience in pursuing their own path to justice.
Somewhat frustratingly we cannot advance out case until the planning authority (Braintree District Council) publishes its "Decision Notice". This gives the planning committee's decision to grant the application legal force and triggers the 6 week window during which time we must give formal notice to Braintree of our intention to seek leave to go to judicial review and to present our case.
Because of this delay our preparations are now well advanced and our lawyers are standing by ready to jump into action as soon as we get the word that the Decision Notice has been published. It's now coming up for 6 weeks since the planning committee granted the application. We are not sure as to why this is taking so long but we do know that discussions relating to certain conditions have been ongoing.
So while our funding efforts have got off to a flying start there is still a way to go so as to enable us to see this project through to its end. It will not matter how strong our case may be. If we don't have sufficient funds available to us we will not be able to continue our claim.
Please explain what is happening to your friends, relatives and anyone who will listen and ask them if they would be prepared to support our cause. If we reach enough donors we will make it through to the end.
With thanks
Belchamp Save Our Soils
Belchamp Save Our Soils (BSOS)
Oct. 5, 2024
Initial Target achieved in less that 48 hours
Thanks to the commitment and generosity of a number of our local residents we were able to get to our Initial Target in under 48 hours. This is our first major success in what we anticipate will be a successful final outcome.
We still have much work to do in reaching our Stretch Target but morale is high and, according to our lawyers, we have a good case but nothing can be taken for granted.
Please keep donating. We will do the rest!
Belchamp Save Our Soils (BSOS)
Oct. 4, 2024
Thanks to Keith and Donna
The campaign would like to thank Keith and Donna for getting us off to such a great start. Minutes in and we're already at 20% of our initial target. Let's keep up the momentum.
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