With regards to the article ‘Homes will fund University Hospital improvements, 12/11/09’ I have to say that I like many residents in the Walsgrave area are totally opposed to this development going forward and will continue to fight against it. When this proposal was first raised nearly three years ago residents were told that the hospital ‘desperately’ needed a second entrance into the hospital and the only way it could be paid for was by houses being built on the greenbelt at the back of the hospital. Unfortunately, this can now be seen as the sham that it was; put forward by the hospital and the developers in a successful attempt to split the local resident’s views on this proposal. Unfortunately for the hospital, I now believe that because of the time that has elapsed since then and without any major difficulties without a second entrance being in place, the hospital no longer have the support of the majority of residents in this area and should leave the greenbelt as it is.

It would appear very obvious to anyone that read Cllr Maton’s personal attack on me (We have supported residents 05/11/09) that I must be getting under the skin of the Henley Ward councillors probably because I am still carrying out more case work through my Help and Advice Sessions than the three of them put together. However, I can not allow them to tell lies about me. For the record I along with the rest of the NDC Board would not get involved with the application for Village Green status or anything else that might jeopardise the Master Plan going forward whether we agreed with the application or not. In addition, both councillors Maton and Kelly supported this stance when the Master Plan went through the Labour Group and the Full Council so what they were or were not saying to residents at that time is open to question. Finally I may well have said to some of the residents around the Henley Green area that they will want to be involved in the re-development of the area, who wouldn’t?

It would appear very obvious to anyone that read Cllr Maton’s attack on me (Homes bid supported by Patton 01/11/09) that I must be getting under the skin of the Henley Ward councillors probably because I am still carrying out more case work through my Help and Advice Sessions than the three of them put together. However, I can not allow them to tell lies about me. For the record I along with the rest of the NDC Board would not get involved with the application for Village Green status or anything else that might jeopardise the Master Plan going forward whether we agreed with the application or not. However, now that I am under no obligation to the new Special Strategy which they and their party have supported I can say quite freely that greenbelt should now be left out of any new developments. Finally I may well have said to some of the residents around the Henley Green area that they will want to be involved in the re-development of the area, who wouldn’t?

While I certainly agree with Bob Fryer’s (Finham Residents Association) view that the fight to stop extra housing being built on the green belt isn’t over, I am concerned that he appears to think that it is only the Finham residents that will be opposing this. When the Coventry Core Strategy was first discussed it was the Lib Dem’s in the Henley Ward that first showed opposition to this by presenting a Petition opposing the building of housing on what little green belt there is left in Henley. Unfortunately, when the petition was heard we were told that our views would be taken on board once the Government Inspector had looked at the proposals. Unfortunately, our views as well as many others in the city appear to have been completely ignored. However, what I would like to say to Mr Fryer is that concerned residents all need to oppose this together and not be split by those who would prefer to handle this as a divide and conquer exercise. It has been interesting how some Conservative councillors have said how they support their local residents fight when it is their own strategy we are opposing. It is also interesting as I said a couple of weeks ago how Mr Fryer’s MP (Jim Cunningham) is supporting local residents when it is his government that is imposing this ridiculous policy upon us. I say to Mr Fryer and all those that oppose the expansion of our city in this way to work together to ensure that there will not be anymore unnecessary building of houses on what little green belt we have left.

Out of the three main parties Lib-Dems are still the only ones who can say they have consistent ‘green’ credentials, with the others parties it depends on the time and the place.

The public need to be aware the only way to protect green spaces is by giving it Village Green status to which Coventry Council is totally opposed because they know this prevents them taking it from the community