Broxtowe Green Local Issues

Green Party views on local issues

Green Party campaign to save Out of This World (May '08)
The Green Party has launched a campaign to help save the Out of This World organic supermarket from threatened closure. The shop may lose its lease to rent the retail unit on Villa Street, Beeston, if Broxtowe Council approves plans for a planning change of use to allow the restaraunt next door to expand.

The Green Party is urging all local residents to write to Broxtowe Council to object to the change of use. Details of how to object can be found at Broxtowe's planning department and the planning application number is: 08/00314.

Make your views known on the Save Out of This World campaign blog.

Green Party manifesto for Broxtowe (April '07)
The Green Party has published a manifesto for the local elections. This contains our proposals for making Broxtowe a 21st century council and twenty-five policy points.

Broxtowe Green Party Manifesto 2007 (click here for PDF file)

Lidl supermarket on Broughton Street
Broxtowe Greens are opposed to the plans for a Lidl retail store on the site of Willoughby garages, at the corner of Broughton Street. We believe that the planned store will increase traffic congestion at the junction with Wollaton Road and will reduce the quality of life of local residents. The Green Party carried out a house-to-house survey of some of the streets surrounding the development in February. We found that 80% of those who responded were opposed, a result that was featured in coverage of the plans in the Beeston Express newspaper. The Labour-controlled Council have now voted to go ahead with the plans despite their previous reservations. Thanks to all the residents who took part. The Greens will continue to fight the development.

University Hotel
The Green Party opposes the proposed University hotel next to Florence Boot hall which was recently passed by Nottingham City council.

Tram
There has been a long running debate within the Beeston and Chilwell area about the proposed tram extension. The Green Party has been engaged in this debate and has set out the following policy:

We support the idea of a tram extension and the party believes in the development of such light rail schemes in general.

We oppose the proposed tram route, believing there is too much environmental damage, particularly the proposed section between University Boulevard and Beeston town centre. We oppose the blue route and the demolishing of part of Neville Sadler Court and have supported the residents in their campaign. The current plans do not link up properly with Beeston railway station, nor does it take account of the Boots site.

Some local tram supporters have claimed that Broxtowe Green Party is at odds with national party policy on tram and light rail systems. This is not the case. Green Party policy is to support such schemes where there is public support and the environmental impact is not too great.

We don't need Tesco: the Marvin Shaw site
The site of the old Marvin Shaw works in the centre of Beeston has been a major eyesore for many years. Broxtowe Green Party has been campaigning for action on an appropriate redevelopment for the area. We have called for the development to focus on social housing rather than a new retail park and are dismayed to hear of plans for a new supermarket. Traffic levels in this area are already reaching congestion point and we do not believe that the local infrastructure can support a second large supermarket. We are also concerned at the loss of smaller, local shops and are currently carrying out a survey of shops in the Beeston area.

Traffic Calming
Broxtowe Greens have undertaken a number of campaigns in recent years concerning the calming of traffic in residential streets. These campaigns have focussed on the Peveril Road and Salisbury Street areas. We believe these streets should be designated 'Home Zones' with a speed limitof 20 mph. There has been little progress on this from the County or Borough councils, although signs have been placed at the entrance to Peveril Road saying "No through traffic". We see little evidence that this has made any difference.

Recycling
We are pleased to see that the rates of recycling of waste are rising quite rapidly in the Broxtowe Borough. These are now at around 35%. However, we'd like to see more. Rushcliffe council, which has a Green Party councillor, has rates of just short of 50% (the second highest in the UK). Beeston could do better. National Green Party policy is for the UK to adopt a Zero Waste strategy, where systems are designed so that almost nothing is wasted.

To find out more about our local party campaigns, or to join, please contact:

Paul Anderson on 07830 253 805

email : media@eastmidlands.greenparty.org.uk