A campaigning 11-year-old will be at a key council meeting in Darlington next week when her petition to save wildlife-rich countryside from a massive housing scheme is debated.
It was last August when young Lottie, from Darlington, launched her campaign to protect a stretch of fields, river and woodland from being scattered with around 4,500 family homes. A group of committed campaigners, Skerningham Woodland Action Group (SWAG), saw it, put it online and it now has more than 2,500 signatures.
Darlington Borough Council’s rules say that petitions with more than 1,000 signatories from DL postcodes must be discussed at its key decision-making cabinet. So “Lottie’s List” is on the agenda next Tuesday 3 March, at 5pm.
Skerningham Garden Village scheme
Darlington Council and developer Theakston Ltd are partners in the Skerningham Garden Village scheme, which would extend the town’s suburbs out across farm fields, grassland, woods and river. The vast majority of houses would have three, four or more bedrooms. The plans may eventually include a school, shops and a pub.
SWAG member Peter Greenwood said: “Skerningham is a peaceful area on the north-east edge of town where Darlington and other Teesside people have walked for centuries. The council once called it their countryside jewel in the crown and now they are determined to sell that crown jewel in return for all the Council Tax which those big houses in the country will provide.
“SWAG has fought this scheme for years. But since we spotted Lottie’s petition pinned to a Skerningham gate and asked her if we could put it online at Change.org, support has mushroomed.
“We don’t need more big homes devastating our green countryside. We don’t need more cars clogging up our commuter routes in and out of town.
“We do need smaller, affordable houses, near jobs, schools and facilities so that more than 2,000 people on the housing waiting list can get a foot on the ladder. They certainly won’t be able to afford a Skerningham home.
“All of Skerningham’s much-loved wildlife — the deer, foxes, badgers, owls, otters, extinction-threatened birds and much more – will disappear, some violently on new roads.
“Darlington Council is becoming a front-runner amongst those selling England by the pound.”
This article is based on a media release from Skerningham Woodland Action Group (SWAG).
