Have you done your e-action response to the Planning consultation yet? Take as little as 2 minutes to have your say!

Nature craft picnic on 10th Aug : are you coming?

What's the deal on central government funding?

The recent announcement by Rachel Reeves cancelled some major road projects such as the A27 scheme in Arundel. Other schemes like the NWL  are now likely to be assessed for value for money. Please prompt your MP to push for this assessment!

Anything over 85% funding is highly unlikely now. Norfolk CC were hoping to get 100%. The government have paid out some money already to Norfolk, but with potentially something like £190 million they could claw back, funding for the road no longer looks guaranteed.

A scheme that is ecologically damaging, expensive, fraught with legal/licencing issues and obviously unpopular is much more likely to get the push - so our objections in the consultation matter! 

Got 15-20 min? Make more impact!

Numbers are the big thing for the planning consultation, so please do just get in your quick e-action response. But if you do have 20 minutes or so to spare, then more personalised responses in all your own words have a little more 'clout', so are worth the effort! 

Don't worry if you have already done the e-action you can put in a second response as long as it is on different grounds eg on value for money rather than on wildlife again. 

Go to the end of this email for a summary of some of the different issues you could cover. Click button below to go to consultation. Or just email (the address is listed there) - use the planning reference and include your name and address, 

Thanks for doing your bit!

The Stop the Wensum Link Team

You can email or respond here. 

Some points to help: 

Destruction of Biodiversity:  The implementation of this road would inflict irreversible harm upon these precious ecosystems, threatening old woodlands with veteran trees and a rare chalk stream.

Increased Carbon Emissions: The construction of the road would exacerbate CO2 emissions significantly, both during the building phase and due to induced traffic. Such actions directly contradict our collective commitments to curbing carbon emissions and striving for 'net-zero' status by 2050. The expansion of road infrastructure blatantly contradicts climate emergency declarations and the ongoing global efforts to decarbonize.

Mitigation Failures: History has shown that past mitigation efforts for similar projects, such as the Broadland Northway (formerly known as the Northern Distributor Road), have fallen short in safeguarding local wildlife effectively. Given this track record, we question the efficacy of proposed mitigation measures for the Wensum Link road. How can we trust that this time will be any different?

Cost/Value for money

Spending this money on a three-mile environmentally damaging road with minimal, if any, economic advantages is unjustifiable. These public funds could be utilised more effectively elsewhere. Alternatives to a road have not been properly investigated, despite local people asking for non road solutions in initial consultations.

Want a billboard at your house?

Please just email stopthewensumlink@protonmail.com with your:

• Address
• If you want to put the board up yourself or have it installed?
• If you want it installed, the where in your garden/yard?
• Rough height of post that would be suitable eg 4 foot, 6 foot?

Let's get these everywhere!

At the moment we are installing in the city, with a run planned for the Wensum Valley area. If you live further away you will need to collect. 

A3 posters can also be collected from Ernie's Zero Waste shop, or at events. 

Or print A4 or A5 to put up at your house, or in your car window.

Your action to get beyond our usual supporters is critical.

So after you have put in your own response please spread the word.

You can:

• Forward this email
• Share our social media posts eg this one or this one
• Send the e-action link to your what's app groups., your local Nextdoor group, or local Facebook groups.
• Talk to people in person - tell them to go to stopthewensumlink - we come up easily in a search.
• Print a poster to put up, leaflets to leave out at work/cafe/community space (with permission) - pick up at upcoming events (see below)
• Get a posterboard put up at your house, as pictured above. (see below for how to sign up)

New readers sign up to this newsletter here