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BRISTOL FARMERS WON'T BUDGE FOR MILLIONS

07:00 - 21 April 2009

Farmers Paul and Jill Britten say they will never leave their Whitchurch farm – despite developers offer them millions.

They say they have already had generous offers for Whitewood Farm in Norton Lane, which is on green belt land [and barely half a mile north of Maes Knoll and Wansdyke, red.].

But the organic beef farmers say they have farmed the land for nearly 50 years and will not budge.

Mrs Britten, 65, said: "We have already had developers offering us money but we are not interested – we have put our lives into this farm.

Last October more than 150 people packed a public meeting in Whitchurch to voice concerns at plans for 9,500 homes in the area – 8,000 in the Bath and North East Somerset district and 1,500 within the Bristol boundary.

Earlier this month the Post reported that residents had formed a campaign group in a bid to stop the thousands of homes being built.

The Protect Whitchurch Green Belt Alliance say that having so many homes would rip the heart out of their community.

And Mr and Mrs Britten wholeheartedly support the campaign, saying losing their farm would be a devastating blow to them and their four daughters – Wendy, Briony, Marianne and Fiona – three of whom intend to play a part in the running of the farm after their parents retire.

Mrs Britten said: "Our daughters are interested in the farm and our youngest daughter is very keen in taking it over at some stage.

"We might get good money for the land but we would have to relocate and we don't want to do that – we have worked here all our lives.

"To me the green belt is the issue. It was put there for a reason and that reason still exists so it should not be built on.

"Farming is our lives and our dream. Who are they to wreck it?"

Her husband Paul, 64, said: "At the moment when I am on top of the hill I can see 90 per cent of Bristol, which means that Bristol can see 90 per cent of the hill.

"I am the last true farmer here. All the land to the north of me is effectively owned by developers because the farmers live 10 miles away.

"We are the last bastion – when we go that is it in terms of farmers and the green belt will disappear – but we refuse to go.

"This farm is unique – is an obsession for me. If we go down we will go down fighting because it would be a devastating blow to the whole family.

"All they talk about at the moment is building houses, they don't talk about building communities. The infrastructure is just not here for all these houses."

Earlier this month Dan Norris, Labour MP for Wansdyke, who is pro-housing, said: "I am not totally convinced that these houses should be focused around Whitchurch.

"I do think that this burden should be shared throughout the communities in the district."

Protect Whitchurch Green Belt Alliance campaigner Mike Parsons said: "These are just the sort of people we need to help fight this housing. They are a credit to Whitchurch and represent the strength of feeling in the community."

Earlier this month, the Bristol Evening Post reported how Bristol Barbarians turned down an offer of £250,000 an acre for their 11-acre site at Norton Lane. It would have brought the club a total of £2.75m.

For more information contact Fiona on 07752 029564.

[Source: This is Bristol.co.uk, 21 April 2009]