Marina opposition continuous

SUCH is the force against a marina being built at Swindon on the Staffs & Worcs Canal that the opposition has requested the local MEP to present its case to the European Union.

Planning permission has already been granted for a 199 berths marina by the waterway, despite a vociferous local campaign against the development for over three years, Alan Tilbury reports.

Ridiculous reasons

The 300 strong Swindon Marina Action Group has forcefully opposed every stage of the planning process, resorting to ridiculous reasons, such as air pollution from boat diesel engines.

However the plans were passed by South Staffordshire Council, as previously reported in narrowboatworld, but the group of 300 only managed to obtain 126 signatures to its petition against the development, that it now wants presenting to the European Union.

Councillor pushing

It is local Swindon parish councillor Gordon Fanthom who is pushing the campaign against the development by giving the petition to West Midlands MEP Mike Nattrass, requesting  it be presented to the European Parliament.

He is really scraping the bottom of the barrel by now claiming that the development increases the risk of flooding! But the marina people, Timothy and Joanna Munday, respond that there is not a grain of truth in this claim.

The marina, that is needed on the Staffs & Worcs Canal will have all the usual boatyard facilities with a tea room, gift shop, farm shop and a viewing gallery.