18/04/2017
Dear Resident.
Following on from Simon Mahaffey’s letter last week outlining the next steps with regards to the Traveller site off Little London Road, Silchester we write to inform you that we have now set up a small residents group that will assist in holding Borough Council to account once a valid planning application has been submitted by the
residents of the site off Little London Road.
The group has been formed and can be referred to as the “Calleva Society” and can be contacted by email at callevasociety@gmail.com should you wish to contact us. Currently we are busy working with all the separate agencies and companies involved gathering information for our case, these include the Environment Agency, Natural England, Forestry Commission, Thames Water, Southern Electric and the previous land owners.
To waste no time the Calleva Society would like to employ the services of Aaron Smith of Fowlers Architecture and Planning LLP who did a great job in assisting our friends in the Baughurst Society to object to a planning application for a traveller camp. The application was recommended for approval by planning officers and they
successfully orchestrated the objection whereby the planning committee overturned the recommendation and refused the application. We are also seeking legal advice in relation to the non-planning issues that could be explored.
One of the objectives of the Calleva Society is to raise funds to pay for the external help needed during this process. We can’t put an actual cost to this project but you can assume it will run into tens of thousands as we step up a gear and get solicitors involved. We write to ask for your support in helping fund this, and felt that
the Calleva Society is a suitable vehicle to process these donations and appropriate funds where necessary. We hope that if there were funds raised in excess of the required amount this could be kept as a fighting fund for any other issues that may threaten our village in the future. If you know anyone else in the area please spread the word, we need everyone’s support. We would like to extend our thanks in advance for your help.
Cheques can be made out to Calleva Society and send them to The Calleva Society C/O ,Silchester Village Hall,Whistlers Lane, Silchester.Reading RG7 2NEor by BACS to The Calleva Society Sort code:30-91-91 Account number: 28114060. We can also accept donations by Paypal paypal.me/calleva or callevasociety@gmail.com
Yours sincerely
The Calleva Society.