Three Hundred Residents Object to Destruction of Trevenna Cottage

Residents of Creswick Road are continuing their 16-year battle to save Trevenna Cottage.  Councillors from the Council's planning committee and representatives from the development company attended a site visit on Saturday and were met by 15 local resident campaigners who are campaigning to prevent the development of the site.

The Cottage would be demolished as part of a plan by Leicestershire-based development company Landbilt Limited and replaced by eight semi-detached houses with private gardens.

Residents, including parents from nearby St. Vincent's School which backs onto the gardens of Trevenna Cottage, started the battle to save the building and the existing gardens in 1994.  Since then, there have been six sets of developers who were interested in converting the site into urban housing.

Much of the opposition has been spearheaded by Victor Mishiku, of The Covenant Movement, an organisation opposed to 'backyard' developments that turn gardens into housing. Mishiku, of Ealing and a passionate campaigner against the destruction of gardens and green spaces in favour of development, said "This development proposal is like a "throwback in time" to the kind of schemes being tried in the 80's/90's."  

Under the central government's Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3), published in June 2010, residential gardens are now excluded from the definition of 'previously developed land' or brownfield land.

But Landbilt Limited, say that their proposal will bring much needed family housing to the area.

A further 40-strong petition against the development was presented to Councillors on Saturday by Sean Currie, Chairman of Governors at St.Vincent's School.

Mr. Mishiku will address the Planning Committee on Wednesday 23 February at 7pm when the case will be heard.

20 February 2011