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This page includes:
Press Coverage Highlights and
Press Releases
Suffolk Free Press 10 November 2011 (pdf 168Kb)
New heritage centre bid on smaller scale
Bunting & Sons have
confirmed they will not appeal against Colchester Borough Council's
decision to
reject
their application for a £25million heritage and conservation centre on the edge
of the Dedham Vale AONB. They
will
submit
a new, smaller-scale application to develop the 117-acre site at Great Horkesley.
Essex
County Standard 4 November 2011 (pdf
444Kb)
Fight
for heritage centre
One of the area's most controversial developments, Horkesley Park, is going back
to the drawing board. The firm behind the proposal, Bunting and Sons, has revealed
it will not appeal the council's decision to reject previous proposals. However,
they are working on a new, scaled down version which it hopes to unveil next
year.
Will
Pavry said: "I am not surprised they are not going to appeal. If the new application
is scaled down we would be interested to look at it".
East
Anglian Daily Times 2 November 2011 (pdf 201Kb)
Fresh bid to develop heritage
site pledged
Developers have announced their intention to submit "scaled down" plans for
a controversial heritage site after planners rejected previous proposals. Will
Pavry, of Stour Valley Action Group, said: "We will have to wait and see what
the scope and scale of the application is before giving any full reaction,
but
we will
always
want
the
tranquillity
of the countryside to be conserved".
Essex
County Standard 3 June 2011 (pdf
418Kb)
Buntings to appeal after £25m heritage
centre bid thrown out: we will not take
No for an answer
Defiant Stephen Bunting has said he will continue
to press on with his plans for a heritage centre in the heart
of the countryside, even though it has been overwhelmingly rejected
by Colchester Council.
The planning committee heard the main
building of the conservation centre would be as long as almost
half of Colchester High Street. It would be as wide as the length
from the top of High Street at its junction with Head Street,
down to Marks and Spencer and would stretch back to Culver Square.
Officers
deny bias
Councillor Richard Martin was warned after he criticised planning officers in
the debate. Planning officer Vincent Pearce said: "I can assure you, over the
past 2½ years, we have sought to dig into the application to find all
the benefits and the negatives."
Suffolk
Free Press 2 June 2011 (pdf
264Kb)
Protesters' joy as plans denied
Campaigners opposed to a planning application for
a £25million heritage and conservation centre in Great Horkesley
are delighted it has been refused. The packed meeting was attended
by around 150 protesters, with more turned away outside, and 50
Bunting family members and employees. There were 25 speakers in
all, for and against the application. Colchester Borough Council's
planning committee backed the recommendation of their planning
officer by voting 11-1 to reject it.
Colchester
Gazette 30 May 2011 (pdf
583Kb)
Horkesley park heritage
centre is
rejected - Damage to area would outweigh benefits
Buntings vow to fight on despite
spending £1.5m on the failed bid
Stephen Bunting insisted the planning officer's report and its approach to policy
was fundimentally flawed.
Campaigners delighted at scheme's failure
Campaigners welcomed the fact that the countryside had been saved from the Horkesley
Park development - described as "effectively a shopping centre".
Council is ready to defend refusal
Nick Barlow, councillor responsible for planning, said the council would vigorously
defend its decision, if required.
East
Anglian Daily Times 28 May 2011 (pdf
275Kb)
Developers vow to fight on: Park
application rejected but 'moving forward with appeal process'
Bunting and Sons had sought to build Horkesley Park, a £25 million development
in the north Essex countryside but Colchester Borough Council's planning committee
voted against the application after officers recommended the scheme be turned
down. Stephen Bunting, partner of Bunting and Sons, criticised the report saying
it misled committee members and is appealing the decision. Will Pavry, from the
SVAG, welcomed the Council's decision.
East
Anglian Daily Times 27 May 2011 (pdf
169Kb)
Heritage site turned down
Controversial plans for a £25million heritage site were last night rejected by
Colchester Boorough Council. In a document planners said that Horkesley Park
was in conflict with a number of regional and national policies to "conserve
and enhance the countryside".
Colchester
Gazette 27 May 2011 (pdf
280Kb)
Public pack debate over heritage
centre
More than 200 peaple packed into a meeting to discuss controversial plans for
a £25million heritage centre.
The meeting was still ongoing as the Gazette went to press but the gazette-news
website
later reported:
Horkesley Park conservation centre is turned down
A scheme to create a massive tourist attraction in north Essex has been turned
down.
Colchester Council refused planning permission for the Horkesley Park heritage
and Conservation Centre proposed for Dedham Vale, a designated Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty.
Essex
County Standard 20 May 2011 (pdf
699Kb)
The message is 'NO'
As decision day looms, planning officers advise
councillors to turn down Bunting and Sons' heritage and conservation
centre proposal.
Protesters
walk for an open countryside
Hundreds of residents joined forces to create a physical representation
of their opposition to the Horkesley Park proposals.
Essex
County Standard 20 May 2011 (pdf
182Kb)
Letters to the Editor
Scale and ambition are incompatible with site.
Suffolk
Free Press 19 May 2011 (pdf
113Kb)
Protestors' final say on centre
Around 300 protestors turned up on Sunday to take
part in a final demonstration against the proposed £25m heritage
and conservation centre at Great Horkesley.
Colchester
Gazette 17 May 2011 (pdf
240Kb)
'NO' to
£25m tourism site - Councillors told: Reject Horkesley Park plans
Heritage
centre plan is likely to be turned down
Colchester Council's officers have spent more than two years considering
an application to build Horkesley Park. They have recommneded the planning
committee rejects Bunting and Sons' proposal when it meets next Thursday.
East
Anglian Daily Times 17 May 2011 (pdf
214Kb)
'Heritage centre in battle for approval
- planners recommend refusal for £25m project'
Hopes for a major tourist development in the heart of the north Essex countryside
have suffered a major setback after planning officers recommended the plans be
turned down.
East
Anglian Daily Times 16 May 2011 (pdf 408Kb)
'Protestors oppose £25m tourist
attraction'
The Stour Valley Action Group organised the event before the planning
application will be considered by Colchester Borough Council on
May 26. Local residents and
campaigners met beside the development and walked across to a large hayfield
where
they formed a large human "NO". Chairman of the group, Will Pavry,
said, "It
will
be hard for the planning committee to ignore the significant degree of local
concern this application has provoked."
Colchester
Gazette 16 May 2011 (pdf 480Kb)
'You're going to ruin beauty spot' -
protest against heritage plan
'We're saying no to heritage park'
Hundreds
of protestors turned out to say a resounding "NO" to plans for a
heritage centre. They claim Bunting
and Sons' plan to create a £25million visitor centre on 117 acres would
be detrimental to wildlife, increase traffic and ruin the Constable Country
landscape.
Colchester
Gazette 5 May 2011 (pdf
417Kb)
Leave constable country alone:
Artist's relative joins the fight to stop £25m plan
The great, great, great-grandson of John Constable says Horkesley Park
proposal is 'just plain wrong'.
Dr Constable intends to voice his opposition at Colchester Council's planning
meeting on May 26 when councillors are to vote on the plans, for 117 acres
on the edge of the Dedham Vale Aera of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Essex County Standard 29 April 2011 (pdf 265Kb)
MPs voice concerns over Horkesley Park scheme
Questions over visitor numbers and impact of traffic on roads
Two senior politicians have voiced their concerns over proposals for
a new heritage and conservation centre in the Dedham Vale. Now Bernard
Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, and Tim Yeo, MP for South Suffolk,
have both spoken of their concerns about the danger that the scheme
might expand further into retail.
Colchester Gazette 25 April 2011 (pdf 715Kb)
Park's fate put to the vote
Verdict on £25m plans coming soon - 10-year battle over site continues
Since the council announced the date for the decision, there has been
a flurry of activity by Bunting and Sons to convince
people of the scheme's merits, and detractors to persuade Colchester Council's
planners and councillors of their fears.
Lots of paperwork - 485,000 visitors on the road - Habitats for animals
- Jobs boost to the area
Views on the support and opposition, traffic issues, risks to wildlife,
jobs and retail viability.
Bernard Jenkin MP, Bob Russell MP, Charles Aldous (Chairman,
Colne Stour Countyside Assoc) and Natural England: reiterate
their views.
Essex
County Standard 22 April 2011 (pdf 494Kb)
Letters to the Editor
There are too many letters for us to regularly include them in the press
pages but these were exceptional.
Suffolk
Free Press 21 April 2011 (pdf 179Kb)
£25m centre plans fail to sway council
Nayland Parish Council is to reiterate its previous objections to the
proposed Horskesley Park heritage and conservation centre.
East
Anglian Daily Times April 2011 (pdf 249Kb)
Storm over newt: heritage centre bid 'will
not be derailed' by discovery
The man behind plans for a controversial heritage centre
in the heart of the Stour Valley claims the apparent discovery of the
protected Great Crested Newts in the area should not derail the bid.
Essex
County Standard 15 April 2011 (pdf 396Kb)
Rare newt colony is found near heritage centre site
Calls
made for new environmental study to assess risk to creatures.
A colony of a protected species of newt could come under threat
if a controversial development goes ahead, it has been claimed.
30,000 send
comments to council on heritage park plans
30,000 representations
made to the CBC over the plans, but 22,800 made before the Application
was submitted. And Bob Russell
MP writes in support, saying Horkesley Park will not grow to the size
of Colchester Zoo.
Essex
County Standard 8 April 2011 (pdf
247Kb)
Decision day looms on heritage centre plans
The final countdown has started over a decision on controversial
plans for a heritage centre in the heart of the countryside. Colchester
Council is due to vote next month on the plans. Recent submissions
have been sent to the council and it has given a deadline of 19
April for new comments to be made.
Essex County Standard 16 July 2010 (pdf 280Kb)
£25m heritage centre plan 'not justified' says report
A damning report has criticised a proposal for the Horkesley Park heritage
and conservation centre scheme in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
In the independant appraisal commissioned by Colchester Borough Council,
planning experts Nathaniel Litchfield and Partners concluded the application
did not have sufficient regional significance to justify major development
in the countryside.
East
Anglian Daily Times 30 March 2010 (pdf 207Kb)
Battle lines drawn
Protesters opposed to the Horkesley Park tourist attraction have
revealed their final campaogn will be fought with the message"Saving the Stour
Valley".
East
Anglian Daily Times 27 March 2010 (pdf 184Kb)
Will Dedham Vale Grant end Horkesley project?
Congratulating the Dedham Vale on their £1m heritage lottery
grant which will directly benefit the landscape, the wildlife and
the people
who live there, the question is raised
whether this could effect the proposed Horkesley Park development.
East Anglian Daily Times 24 March 2010 (pdf 380Kb)
Beauty spot valley gets £1m windfall
One million pound lottery grant given to Managing a Masterpiece project
in the Stour Valley. This is the genuine heritage and conservation project
that Horkesley Park fails to be!
Essex County Standard 19 March 2010 (pdf 272Kb)
Experts to advise on heritage centre plan
Consultants have been appointed by Colchester Council to advise on the
controversial Horkesley Park heritage centre application.
Traffic impact assessed
A long-awaited traffic report on the impact of the Horkesley Park development
on the area’s road network has been completed.
Support for scheme disputed by action group
SVAG Chairman claimed the submissions of Bunting and Sons misrepresented
the support for the development.
Essex
County Standard 23 October 2009 (pdf 386Kb)
Constable country's lottery bid
The Dedham Vale (AONB) and Stour Valley Project has made a lottery
bid. If it is successful, the scheme will deliver a range of wildlife,
landscape, archaeology, and visitor-related projects over the next
three years. A quotation from
Sula Rayska of Rayska Heritage Consultants in Shrewsbury in the ECS article
appeared to imply that planning permission for Horkesley Park would be
granted. SVAG wrote to correct this impression in a letter
to the ECS published on October 30th (pdf
18Kb).
Essex County Standard 3 July 2009 (pdf 415Kb)
Horkesley Park: the north-south divide on council
Concern
has been expressed that the new CBC planning committee has no representative
from wards to the north of Colchester that will
be affected by Horkesley Park. Local resident Lesley Watson says that
residents from these wards "have been disenfranchised as far as
planning issues are concerned".
Suffolk
Free Press 4 June 2009 (pdf 195Kb)
£25m heritage centre delayed
The Highways Agency, a statutory consultee, has told planners it
needs more information from developers Bunting and Sons about the
traffic implications
of the Horkesley Park project before it can comment. Colchester Borough
Council's senior planning officer John Davies said: "The council
was originally looking at considering the application in June, but
we're
now waiting for the highways issues to be resolved."
Essex County Standard 29 May 2009 (pdf 175Kb)
Shadow minister backs down over Horkesley Park
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, shadow international
trade and development minister, had given his backing for the proposed Horkesley
Park heritage and conservation centre during a visit to Westwood Park
organised by the Essex Chambers of Commerce. Now Mr Clifton-Brown,
has withdrawn his comments. Speaking to the County Standard, he said, "I
feel I was misled. I had no idea
the issue I was speaking on was such a controversial planning matter".
Essex
County Standard 22 May 2009 (pdf 182Kb)
Public inquiry should decide heritage
park plan, says MP
North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin has asked for the application
to be heard through a public enquiry led by a Government inspector. In his
letter, he states: "It contravenes Colchester Council's strategic plan and
meets criteria for calling in".
Essex County Standard 15 May 2009 (pdf 300Kb)
Traffic questions hold up heritage park
plans
The Highways Agency, a statutory consultee on planning applications,
has said the bid cannot be approved until it has received more information
about the traffic implications of the scheme.
Essex County Standard 8 May 2009 (pdf 245Kb)
BOMBSHELL: Damning council report criticises Horkesley Park project and
voices concerns on 'negative traffic and landscape impacts'
The report's conclusion states: "It is considered the tourism
and job creation benefits of the Horkesley Park
proposal have been overstated and are, in any case, outweighed by the negative
traffic and landscape impacts of its large scale."
Essex County Standard 8 May 2009 (pdf 355Kb)
Battle lines drawn over Horkesley Park plans
With the consultation period now closed, leading groups have given their
support - to both sides. Among those opposing are the National Trust,
Natural England, CPRE Essex, and the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley
Advisory Committee whilst the East of England Development Agency, Essex
Chambers of Commerce, Banham Zoo and the Suufolk Horse Society support
the application.
Essex County Standard 1 May 2009 (pdf 172Kb)
Heritage centre proposals 'to be heard in weeks'
Colchester Council's principal planning officer, Mr John Davies
said it was hoped the application would be considered by the planning
committee
by June 10. He said all submissions would be considered
but added, "At the end of the day, the main consideration will
be the policy
issues
- local policies along with the core strategy and the national guidelines
- these are going to be crucial in determinng the application."
Suffolk
Free Press 30 April 2009 (pdf
177Kb)
Farmers and traders oppose heritage plan
Twenty Stour Valley farmers and 32 owners of small businesses have signed
letters to Colchester Council objecting to the proposed Horkesley Park
heritage and conservation centre.
East
Anglian Daily Times 28 April 2009 (pdf 237Kb)
Famous name against heritage centre
Dr John Constable, the great-great-great grandson
of the artist who painted landscapes in the Dedham Vale, said he believed the
Horkesley Park conservation and heritage centre was out-of-sacle and
out-of-keeping with the countryside around it. He added,"There
is not a chance of it becoming a major Constable centre. It is too far
away
from the major Constable associations of Dedham and Flatford Mill." He
went on to say in the online edition of this article, “It would
become a large retail site and I really don't think people want to come
to Constable
country
for Bluewater-on-Stour.
It just doesn't seem the right thing to do."
East
Anglian Daily Times 24 April 2009 (pdf 258Kb)
Heritage centre plan objections submitted
SVAG has now formally submitted its objections to Horkesley Park. The protest
group employed its own independent
consultants to help prepare their submission document. (Click
here for details)
Essex
County Standard 24 April 2009 (pdf 296Kb)
Author fights to stop
heritage park, as 30,000 people back controversial plan
30,000: fact or fiction? In response SVAG issued a press
release (see below) detailing how that the 30,000
figure cannot be factual.
"I'd be
sad if this went ahead"
Says world renowned
children's author and artist Mick Inkpen who backs the objection. He adds, "Although
Horkesley Park wants to celebrate bygone, rural heritage it is attempting
to do this by resorting to the very opposite".
Protest group sets out its objections
SVAG employed
independent consultants to prepare its formal objection letter with detailed
reasoning for submission to Colchester Borough Council. (Click
here for details)
East Anglian Daily Times 18April 2009 (pdf 274Kb)
Major support for Vale visitor centre
The East of England Development Agency backs Horkesley Park saying it
would bring significant benefits to the area. However, in SVAG's consultants'
views the potential number of visitors to the park and the projected
level of spend per visitor is grossly overstated, which would undermine
the employment figures suggested.
Essex
County Standard 17 April 2009 (pdf 422Kb)
Standard Focus: the great Horkesley Park
debate
Featuring: Just a taste of things to come,
say protestors; 32 firms object to council; Culture issue claims
writer; Farmers fear the impact of more
cars; "It doesn't bear thinking about".
Suffolk
Free Press 16 April 2009 (pdf 188Kb)
Vintage fire engine joins roads protest
Vehicles of all shapes and sizes out to highlight potential congestion:
The rally was hailed as a success making a powerful point for SVAG,
but Stephen Bunting dismissed it as an inappropriate publicity stunt.
East Anglian Daily Times 14 April 2009 (pdf 335Kb)
Villagers campaign against heritage site
Hundreds of cars, tractors and lorries were out in force to highlight
the possible impact that Horkesley Park could have on the local way of
life.
Daily
Gazette 14 April 2009 (pdf 304Kb)
Fight against centre is taken to the road
Hundreds of campaigners
brought traffic to a standstill in Constable Country with a four-wheeled protest
at plans for a heritage centre. Will Pavry
said, "We want to make sure the community at large is fully aware
of the impact the Horkesley Park development will have on the A134 and
all the other local roads".
Essex County Standard 10 April 2009 (pdf 218 Kb)
Site objectors take protest to the roads
SVAG plan to take to the roads to highlight their concerns. Will Pavry
said, "The intention is to inconvenience the travelling public as little
as possible while demonstrating
what the
impact of traffic on the A134 might be like if this proposal were to go
ahead."
Suffolk Free Press 9 April 2009 (pdf 227Kb)
Protesters call to put rural roads to the test
SVAG has called a rally on Easter Monday to demonstrate
their concerns. Kate Charlton-Jones said, "If Horkesley Park was up and running,
Easter would be a peak time so we are providing our own holiday traffic."
Essex
County Standard 27 March 2009 (pdf 246KB)
77,632 would visit the centre in August alone
A report accompanying the application shows huge projected visitor
numbers with 3,505 visitors a day during August. The cost of an
adult ticket
for the
whole
site is
expected
to be £14.95. Tickets prices for the country park would be £10.95
for adults and £7.45 for children. Objectors question whether
this centre will be viable.
Essex County Standard 27 March 2009 (pdf 695Kb)
Horkesley Park battle lines drawn between residents and the Buntings
The journey has taken Buntings nine years; they claim
they have listened to the public and made changes to the proposals.
SVAG still have major concerns and will continue the fight,
which has been going on longer than the Second World War, to protect
the Dedham Vale AONB for future generations.
East
Anglian Daily Times 16 March 2009 (pdf 233Kb)
Legal threat over tourist site claims
SVAG accused of misinformation. Click here for details of the letter from
Buntings (pdf 1.1Mb), and of SVAG's
response (pdf 17Kb).
Essex
County Standard 6 March 2009 (pdf 541Kb)
Vale in the running for world heritage status?
"The construction of a major retail park, which is in essence what the
so-called Heritage Centre at Horkesley Park will be, could well prejudice
any application for inclusion on the UK's nominations for the World Heritage
List" explained Robert Erith, president of the Dedham Vale Society.
Essex
County Standard 27 February 2009 (pdf
409Kb)
Battle over £20m heritage scheme
The
plans for a major tourism centre in the Dedham Vale have evoked concerns
among villages and groups dedicated to protecting
the Dedham Vale and Stour Valley. Bill Watson, chairman of Little
Horkesley Parish Council said, "The retail element seems to be completely
dominant in the scheme which is supposed to be about countryside
and nature". Charles Clover, chairman of the Dedham Vale Society
said, "Total sales from the scheme have been put at £13.4 million
a year - that is retail development".
Suffolk
Free Press 26 February 2009 (pdf 396Kb)
Renewed plan for heritage centre
Updated plans for an ambitious £20 million heritage and conservation
centre have failed to convince objectors concerned about the impact
on the character of the Stour Valley and the surrounding villages.
East
Anglian Daily Times 20 February 2009 (pdf
313Kb)
Bid for new heritage park is resurrected
In this announcement of their latest planning application
Buntings claim they have overwhelming support, backed by a petition,
for their
project. SVAG said they would need to examine the latest proposals
before giving a considered view on them. This begs the question,
what did those signing the petition sign up to support?
Essex
County Standard 20 February 2009 (pdf 144Kb)
Good for some ... but is it good for everyone?
Editirial comment asked the crucial
question: "This project, if given permission, will change
Great Horkesley and the surrounding villages forever. The question
is: for better or worse?"
Essex
County Standard 20 February 2009 (pdf
402Kb)
£20m heritage centre unveiled: A
place to celebrate the English countryside
Buntings announced a new planning application has been
submitted for their centre. They claim the latest
proposals have been drawn up after listening to the views of the
public.
SVAG was unable
to comment
before
the article went
to press.
Essex
County Standard 3 August 2007 (pdf 159Kb)
The only news is no news.
Bunting's application would appear
to be delayed until the autumn.
East
Anglian Daily Times 25 June 2007 (pdf
264Kb)
'Support' claims for rural centre
attacked
As protestors hit back at claims of support
for the heritage centre Bernard Jenkin, MP for North Essex,
said he regarded this development was too controvesial
to be
resolved locally and can only
be settled by a public inquiry.
Essex
County Standard 22 June 2007. (pdf 217Kb)
'90 per cent support plan,
say Bunting's
Buntings
continue with their claim that the
majority of visitors to their events supported
the proposed scheme. However
the Chairman of SVAG believes these figures are pretty misleading.
Suffolk
Free Press 21 June 2007. (pdf 220Kb)
'Buntings: We have backing
for Stour plan'
Following a 'public consultation' to gauge
reaction of the public, Buntings
announce that the majority of visitors were either supportive
or voiced no objection to their proposals.
Suffolk
Free Press 24 May 2007. (pdf 368Kb)
'Art historian gives heritage site warning'
At his lecture on 'Who owns Constable's Country?' Professor
Michael Rosenthal of Warwick University said of the proposed Horkesley
Park, "Having
studied the plans, I think the centre has got the potential to create
a lot of environmental damage".
Suffolk
Free Press 17 May 2007. (pdf 470Kb)
‘Protesters
step up Stour centre fight’
SVAG backed up by Nayland with Wissington Conservation
Society urge objectors to 'Say No to Horkesley Park' when a new application
is submitted.
East
Anglian Daily Times 11 May 2007. (pdf 294Kb)
‘Heritage
centre plan under fire in protest’
Making
a point: Protesters say everything that Buntings are proposing already
exists in the area -
amazing garden centres, marvellous old pubs,
and Suffolk Punches still being used at Stoke by Nayland.
East
Anglian Daily Times 12 April 2007. (pdf
288Kb)
‘Art
historian attacks plans’
Michael Rosenthal
is to give a lecture highlighting the changing demands on the region's
landscape, backing the campaigns of SVAG and the Nayland with Wissington
Conservation Society.
East
Anglian Daily Times 9 April 2007. (pdf 311Kb)
‘Concerns
over tourist scheme’
Retail
elements under attack. Will
Pavry, SVAG chairman, expresses concerns that the proposed application will
not be significantly
different to previous applications.
East
Anglian Daily Times 2 April
2007. (pdf 428Kb)
‘New
plans for major heritage attraction’
In
their fourth attempt at gaining planning Buntings announce a consultation
process. A £15,000 3D model is to form part of an exhibition ahead of new plans
for a controversial countryside
tourist attraction.
Country
Life 6 April 2006 (pdf
344Kb)
'Constable
Controversy'
‘
Constable
country retains its beauty and tranquillity thanks to sustained earlier
battles fought notably by
the architect
Raymond Erith, the Dedham
Vale Society and the National Trust. The Stour Valley Action Group is
fighting for an equally worthy cause.’
Evening
Gazette 4 April 2006. (pdf 189Kb)
‘Heritage
Scheme Withdrawn’
Controversial plans for a Constable heritage centre have been withdrawn while
improvements are made to the scheme.
Essex
County Standard 3 March 2006 (pdf 94Kb)
‘New row over Constable
Centre’
Suggestions of financial links between backers of a controversial John
Constable heritage centre and a far eastern constrution company which
has expressed support for the project have been dismissed as ‘completely
untrue’.
The
Mail On Sunday 26 February 2006 (pdf
555Kb )
‘ Chinese Invade Constable Country’
‘
Peking backs plan for £20m theme park that locals fear will ruin
Hay Wain landscape for ever.’
Private Eye
17 February 2006 (pdf
109Kb)
‘Sweet and Stour’
‘
Anger in Essex over plans for the Horkesley park “heritage centre” – a
100,000 sq ft garden centre with 1,125-seat café in Constable
country.’ The oddity of a classical Chinese garden in this ‘celebration’ of
Englishness.
The
Guardian TRAVEL 11 February 2006 (pdf
22Kb)
Architecture correspondent Jonathan Glancey considers the implications
of Horkesley Park in his listing of the travesties and wonders of the
world’s tourist landscapes.
The
Guardian 4 February 2006 (pdf
469Kb)
‘ Theme Park proposal
makes waves in Constable Country’
Plans for a £20m tourist attraction in the valley that inspired
John Constable have provoked accusations that a quiet slice of the English
countryside is about to fall victim to theme-park tourism.
The
Daily Telegraph 4 February 2006 (pdf
623Kb)
‘ Storm
gathers over Constable ‘Theme
Park’
Villagers fear tourists will destroy rural tranquillity
Evening
Gazette 2 February 2006 (pdf
151Kb)
‘ Business petition
against country park’
A group of small businesses have banded together to sign an open
letter against the proposed Horkesley Park development.
The
Mail on Sunday Property
on Sunday 29
January 2006 (pdf
858Kb)
‘ Why this
Constable theme park may destroy the very countryside he loved’
Danae Brook offers a personal view on plans for a ‘conservation’ centre
in the stunning valley that inspired The Hay Wain.
Financial
Times 28 January 2006 (pdf
544Kb )
‘
Constable Country’s brush
with controversy’
Plans for a £20m ‘theme park’ development celebrating
the painter’s life and times face vehement opposition.
Essex
County Standard 6 January 2006 (408pdf
)
Viewpoint. ‘This is why we
don’t need heritage scheme'
Will Pavry, SVAG chairman, puts the case against the Horkesley Park development.
Essex
County Standard 30 December 2005 (pdf
306Kb)
Viewpoint. ‘Why we need
a Horkesley heritage centre’
Stephen Bunting of Bunting and Sons puts forward his case for the Horkesley
Park Heritage Park and Conservation Centre.
Essex
County Standard 16 December 2005 (pdf
358Kb)
‘Traffic fears over heritage
park plan’ and ‘Save
us from ‘theme
park’.
Great Horkesley parish council opposes park plan, and farmers are calling
for the Essex countryside to be saved from the threat of a ‘theme
park’.
SVAG
Press Release 24 April 2009 (pdf
28Kb)
Following today's Essex County Standard which carried the shocking banner
headline 'Author fights to stop heritage park, as 30,000 people back
controversial
plan' SVAG reply that this 30,000 figure is wrong and merits an immediate
response.
SVAG Press Release 20 April 2009 (pdf 40Kb)
SVAG's formal response
to the Horkesley Park proposals
The Stour Valley
Action Group has now submitted its formal response to the Horkesley Park
proposals submitted by Bunting
and Sons to the Colchester Borough Council.
SVAG Press Release 13 April 2009 (pdf 137Kb)
SVAG Rally Easter Monday
Constable Country speaks for itself. The Stour Valley Action Group rally
brought together people of all ages as a demonstration in the truest
sense of the word, showing people how things might be.
SVAG
Press Release 18 May 2007 (pdf
30Kb)
Who
Owns Constable Country?
Professor Michael Rosenthal of Warwick University delivered a hard-hitting
lecture in aid of the Stour Valley Action Group.
SVAG
Press Release 4 May 2007 (pdf
30Kb)
Campaigners
to visit Horkesley Park Exhibition
SVAG would like to invite members of the press to join them when they view
Bunting and Sons’ promotional exhibition for the projected ‘Horkesley
Park Heritage and Conservation Centre’ at Colchester Town Hall on 10th
May.
SVAG
Press Release 6 April 2007 (pdf
23Kb)
Annnouncement
of Bunting’s Relaunch.
Saviours or exploiters? Is the Suffolk Punch to be a gimmick of the new campaign?
SVAG
Press Release 25 February 2007 (pdf
133Kb)
A Sneak Preview of Horkesley
Park.
Could this be the real future of Horkesley Park: Suffolk Punches as the centrepiece
of an urban retail complex?
SVAG
Press Release 6 April 2006 (pdf
23Kb)
Annnouncement of Bunting's
withdrawal.
Summary of successful SVAG campaign.