A PROTEST outside Great Glen's Co-op store has been planned by campaigners fighting proposals to build an eco-town near the village.
Harborough MP Edward Garnier will join protesters brandishing banners with slogans such as ‘Save our Fields’, and ‘Food before Concrete’ as they gather outside the store from 11am on Saturday.
The protest is aimed at Co-operative Estates and Engli
sh Partnerships, who in November announced they wanted to build an eco-town of up to 15,000 homes on 4,000 acres of countryside they own between Great Glen and Stoughton.
Protest organiser Steve Charlish said Co-operative Estates plans were “at odds with their corporate ethos” as a green, Fairtrade company adding: “The proposal seems absurd.”
The Government is reviewing 57 eco-town bids nationally and is due to announce a shortlist of ten in the coming months.
The plan to build near Great Glen has proved unpopular with residents and councillors in the area and more than 1,000 people have now signed an online petition set up on the Downing Street website.
County councillor for the area Dr Kevin Feltham, who started the e-petition, thanked everyone who has supported the campaign so far, adding: “This is a magnificent achievement in such a short period and over the holiday period too. I am delighted.”
Theoretically, eco-towns are communities in which the environmental impact is reduced by careful planning and green technology.
But campaigners say the area proposed does not have sufficient transport links to cope with the additional houses and fear the loss of green-belt land.
A public meeting organised by campaigners fighting the eco-town plans will take place at The Coplow Centre in Uppingham Road, Billesdon, from 7.30pm on Friday, February 1.
Cllr Feltham said: “I hope the venue is full to the capacity of about 300 standing, as this will clearly demonstrate to the Co-op and the Government the interest that local people have in the outcome of the current proposals.”
A spokesman for Co-operative Estates said there would be a full public consultation if the proposal is shortlisted by the Government and added: “The Co-operative store in Great Glen is operated by Midlands Co-operative Society, which is completely independent of the Co-operative Group and entirely unconnected with the proposals for the eco town.”
l The Mail has set up a permanent section on its website called ‘Eco-town for Harborough’ from which features a link to the Downing Street e-petition as well as constantly updated news on the proposals.
The full article contains 436 words and appears in Harborough Mail newspaper.
