Town Green is a must instead of unsightly Waitrose and looming gridlock!

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  The assumption on the part of Mr Atlay that the majority of Wimborne residents support him in wanting to go through an expensive, lengthy and truly ridiculous process to achieve the destruction of Waitrose is a fantasy. On these forums a small vociferous group repeatedly post angry statements that show KWTG to be bad losers. The silent majority are NOT with you, Mr Atlay. There were many who were initially apprehensive about Waitrose and admittedly no construction site is pretty, but now, thanks to Waitrose, Wimborne has a genuine, attractively landscaped, bio-diverse town green, open to all - for the frst time.

  By Soobie7 at 11:14 on 22/10/10

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  I question you statement the vast majority of the Wimborne residents are against the Waitrose development. I personally can count two of my aquaintences who hold that view and a vast marjority who are for it. There are environmental concerns which need to be addressed whenever development takes place. Tub thumping is not the way to deal with this issue. It may not have occurred to you that it WAS the Hanham's field and they have a moral right to sell their property to whomsoever they wish. If the site was to be returned to its original state, as I have made it clear elswhere on this forum, you would be returning it to a state of biological impoverishment - a green wasteland with little or no environmental importance. Please excuse my flippancy but you'd gain about as much by painting the Crown Mead development viridian! I fail to see why the KWTG people do not recognise the potential in the current situation. Yes it does involve a change of perspective but that change in perspective might well encompass a reversal of the rise in vacant shops in the town and an increase in the town's economic viability during a period of near depression. Have you walked through the park? What I see is a huge amount of potential to have our cake and eat it - a town green AND a much needed fillip to the Town's economic viability.

  By Anunkasan_Ska at 15:24 on 21/10/10

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  Philip Atlay and his supporters participated in the democratic process to determine the approval or otherwise of the new Waitrose store. Whilst I wholly disagreed with his views , I nevertheless respected his entitlement to appose the development. Having lost, Atlay could well have used his energies to making the best of the new store, possibly campaigning for whatever improvements possible for the town. Alas, Atlay and his band chose to take the route of being the very epitome of bad losers. The KWTG group has lost any respect they may have once had and are now seen as a delusional band of mischief-makers seemingly hell bent on taking us back to the dark ages and quite out of touch with the current views of the majority of Wimborne residents. It is indeed ironic that it has been Waitrose, and certainly NOT Philip Atlay and his chums, who have for the first time given us a Town Green!

  By WimborneJim at 10:44 on 21/10/10

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  Sadly town greens are not a simple as they sound and the legalities are complicated and expensive.
  Some of the points of law had not yet been passed and with the new government they may change again.
  I have had to look into it quite extensively, covering a story in Crewkerne where it was actually much more simple than your situation.
  The continual use for recreational purposes for the whole community is key and if you haven't had that you will not get Town Green status.

  By marion_TLocal at 10:21 on 11/06/10

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  I think Wimborne FC has more chance of winning the world cup (sorry guys) than certain people have in getting the land now currently occupied by Waitrose designated as a Town Green and having the supermarket knocked down..
  
  The land in question used to be the cricket pitch, but the land was certainly not open to a signficant proportion of the community for a wide variety of sports. Further the cricket club did not use the pitch "as of right" but rather as I understand it they had a lease from the then land owner permitting its usage in that way. Moreover, the land was not generally available to the community. There was a big fence going around it, and the gate was generally locked. Its previous usage did not smack of "town green".
  
  The above is my "common sense" view of the town green argument, I have no expertise in planning matters, but if I have missed something please let me know. Why is it said that the land fits the criteria for registration of a Town Green under the 2006 Act?
  
  Waitrose is here now. It is not going away. I cannot it see it being knocked down and re-sited elsewhere in Wimborne.
  
  In expressing this view I do not think I am a "shopaholic", rather I think I am being realisitic about things. Maybe if Waitrose is here to stay, then if we cannot embrace it, then rather we should at least tolerate it.

  By FamBar at 10:38 on 29/05/10

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