December 2011 Newsletter

Beware developers with big budgets...
Ainscough Strategic Land the developer who has an option on the fields along the Campden Road between Norgren and Shipston are holding a public exhibition, at the Townsend Hall in Shipston on Wednesday 30 November (from 9 am to 4 pm) and Thursday 1 December (from 1 pm to 7.30 pm) to show their latest proposals for the land.
Ainscough are good at counting and publicising the numbers in favour of their proposals but have been totally silent about the resounding NO vote from those present at their “consultation” meeting earlier this year. Beware developers with big PR budgets..........
Here are some points to help you as you make your mind up about the development:
1. In other market towns, a supermarket development out-of town has led to independent food shops in the centre of town closing, with a knock-on effect on other local businesses. Shipston’s town centre shops have adapted to local needs, the Co-ops have lowered their prices, and the result is a wide choice of shops with excellent customer service. They are all at risk from this proposed development.
2.There is a proposal to use the land at Pettipher’s garage, Church St for a supermarket and homes. A supermarket in the centre of town would enable Shipston’s local shops and community feeling to survive unthreatened by this out-of-town retail development.
3.The Transition Shipston shopping survey showed it need be no more expensive to shop in the Shipston shops than in Tesco’s in Stratford, even before allowing for the cost of petrol and car use. If we lose these green fields in the hope of more shopping opportunities or lower prices, we can never regain them.
4. Ainscough talk about creating jobs. But the local retailers reckon they employ about 230 people. These shops have supply chains and estimate another 100+ jobs could be at risk. So there could actually be a net loss of local jobs.
5. 50 more houses will need more places in schools, surgery etc. After doubling in size, Shipston’s facilities are already overstretched.
6. There will be increased traffic in and around the town and along the dangerous Campden Road and its crossroads at the Fosseway A 429.
7. The Shipston Medical Centre has its own proposal to build a hospital, surgery and care home together on a different site. The Ainscough proposal for a care home could make this more difficult.
Contact: Helen Winnifrith helenwin@tiscali.co.uk
Solar Power Comes to Stratford Hospital
The government recently announced that they propose to cut the feed-in-tariff for solar power by around 50%. Despite this, Community Energy Warwickshire (CEW) decided to press on with a share offer with the aim of raising at least £100,000 by 21 November to enable them to install as many solar panels as possible before the tariff deadline. CEW has now raised over £90,000 and work will start shortly to install solar panels at Stratford Hospital.
CEW has now received firm prices for the installation of solar panels after 12 December which are substantially lower than current prices. This means that – despite reductions in Feed-in Tariff rates - the original project to install panels on Warwick Hospital is still financially viable. Barbara Cooper of CEW says, “we intend to go ahead with the installation of solar panels at Warwick Hospital as soon as possible and need just £25,000 more to enable us to install the maximum capacity of 50 kilowatts. So if you or someone you know have been thinking about investing but haven’t quite got round to it - now is the time!”
A share purchase application form can be found on the CEW website www.cew.coop.
For more information contact info@cew.coop or by contacting Barbara Cooper on 01789 290736.

Shipston Energy Study
At the beginning of November Transition Shipston presented the completed Shipston Energy Study, that we have been working on for 9 months, to the Town Council. The Town Council had given a grant of £300 to pay for energy consultant Bernard Perkins to verify the finished study. After discussion it was decided that a committee made up of Town Council members ,local businesses and the Transition Shipston group should be set up initially to hold a energy workshop which would discuss further community initiatives to improve energy efficiency and investigate alternative forms of sustainable energy. Tim Lunel from Low Carbon Hook Norton, who is also chief Executive of e National Energy Foundation, has already offered to speak at such a workshop. Hook Norton won a £450000 grant in 2010 to reduce their carbon emissions as a community... hopefully Shipston will be able to learn from their experiences.
Here are some of the conclusions of the Study:
Energy demand will grow 43% by 2050 with current trends if we do not become more energy efficient. Approximately 60% of the energy used by Shipston is in the form of petroleum based fuel, i.e. petrol and diesel. Any emissions reduction strategy must address transport. If Shipston is to become less reliant on external supplies of energy it will need to reduce the energy demand by at least a half and take all the sustainable energy opportunities available.`
The home energy requirement could be easily reduced by 50% as the housing stock still has much potential for energy efficiency measures. Most of this can be achieved with low cost energy efficiency measures and a certain amount of behaviour change. Similarly, industrial and commercial properties have the potential to halve their energy demand with low cost measures.
The most difficult area for reductions is in transport which consumes 53% of the total energy.
In order for this to be reduced not only will cars have to become more efficient but the need to travel long distances for employment, services and shopping needs to be reduced.
Currently less than 1% of Shipston’s energy comes from renewable sources but it is calculated that if only one tenth of the wind energy could be utilised with all the other renewable resources, such as solar, hydro and biomass energy, Shipston could move a long way to meeting its emissions reduction targets. Detailed estimates of the resources are included in the study.
Contact Dave Passingham, davepassingham@hotmail.com for more information

Permaculture Courses
Design a Sustainable Future”
The word Permaculture comes from “permanent”, “agriculture” and “culture”. It is about living lightly on the planet, in harmony with nature and making sure that we can sustain human activities for many generations to come.
Transition Town Leamington's Permaculture courses in the East Lodge, Jephson Gardens:
The weekend introduction course will be run twice, the first session starting in January, the second in February. The full design course will be one weekend a month for 6 months starting in March.
Please contact Juliet Carter on juliet@buildingarts.co.uk or 01926 421467 to reserve your place and for more details.

Transition Film Night
7.30Wednesday 7thDecember, Function Room, White Bear Pub, Shipston

BANANAS”
A third of the production price of the average banana is used simply to cover the cost of pesticides. In this film, personal injury lawyer Juan Dominguez represents over 10,000 Nicaraguan plantation workers affected by a pesticide called Nemagon. Dole Food and Dow Chemicals are on trial - and both have tried to use the law to stop screenings.