We have been residents of Wimborne for 40 years and our children used to watch the cricket on the town green and had enjoyable times, my grandchildren sadly will not be able to have the same enjoyment.
How is it possible that our council has allowed such a ridiculous dangerous road situation, three roundabouts and traffic lights all within a hundred yards together with an entrance and exit to Waitrose Supermarket, a serious accident waiting to happen.
Waitrose also have not provided car parking for their staff leaving them to find parking all around the local nearby housing estates which is a great inconvenience to property owners.
In conclusion this modern concrete development has downgraded the approach to Wimborne's lovely market town, sorry waitrose we don't like it and we don't shop in your store.

Derek Saunders

Write to the John Lewis supermarket and demand they keep our food GM free:
"I am very concerned about recent reports suggesting supermarkets are weakening their policy on sourcing GM free food and animal feed.

I want to avoid all GM products throughout the food chain. Loopholes in labelling legislation mean that I don't know when my meat and dairy has been fed on GM animal feed, as these products are not labelled as GM.

Therefore I urge you to ensure all products on your shelves are completely free of GM whether in food or animal feed.

I am also extremely concerned that the Round Table on Responsible Soy provides greenwash for unsustainable soy production and even certifies GM soy as sustainable.

The RTRS is greenwash because:
* It will not stop deforestation. Soy grown on former forest and other unique ecosystems like savannahs - even if destroyed very recently - could be certified as responsible. This would therefore contribute to, rather than halt, deforestation.
* Soy displaces pasture and other agriculture, causing further indirect deforestation. The RTRS cannot stop this.
* Genetically modified (GM) soy can be certified, even though there is clear evidence of pesticide use increasing with GM soy crops, and of damage to communities' health from spraying these chemicals.
* Small-scale farmers, indigenous groups and civil society are largely excluded from the RTRS process and many oppose it.
* Consumers will be fooled into thinking food and fuel produced using "responsible" soy is helping the environment without realizing that the opposite is true, and that it is encouraging the expansion of GM crops in South America.

There is another way to ensure planet-friendly farming in the UK and rest of the world. We must support UK farmers to grow their own animal feeds and create demand for grass-fed and extensive livestock systems that are not dependant on soy imports.

Please reassure me that Waitrose will resign as a member of the RTRS.

Please also let me know what steps you are taking to ensure that meat and dairy on your shelves is supporting planet-friendly livestock farming in the UK rather than promoting unsustainable soy production in South America and factory farming in Europe."
Go to the Friends of the Earth web site.

It was a sad day for Wimborne when Waitrose pulled out all the stops, and opened their Wimborne store ahead of schedule on 8 July 2010. Waitrose hastened this affront to all those who love Wimborne, despite the on-going threat hanging over them of Philip Atlay's Town Green Application eventually succeeding.
So what hope now for the Town Green Application, which was submitted in September 2009, well before any construction work had started? The Legal and Democratic Services department at county hall have been pondering what to do about the Application, and the various letters of support and objection, including a significant 400 plus Petition from this web site.

In a letter dated 10 September 2010, the County Council revealed their conclusion that a 'Non-Statutory Public Inquiry' should be held to consider the Application. The exact form of the Inquiry will be decided by the Roads and Rights of Way Committee, probably by November this year. The eventual outcome is likely to take from 8 to 12 months for a final determination of the outcome.

Representations are now being made to the County Council to hold the Inquiry in Wimborne, where feelings still run extremely strongly about this much-hated supermarket development. There is now a very real possibility of the Town Green Application succeeding. Following this eventuality, Waitrose would be served with notice to remove their illegal development forthwith, and the people of Wimborne would have their much loved vista and conservation area restored to them.

Whilst the physical removal of a new supermarket might seem to be a novel concept, not to say an expensive one, the directors of big multinational companies such as Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons Sainsbury's and Asda would do well to take on board an important lesson - not to ride roughshod over the wishes of local residents.

What can I say, other than I shall eat my hat if Waitrose has to remove its building from our glorious green site.

Miracles do occur, so we can all be thinking positive on this score.

Lets pray for a Premium Bond win, if I come up with sufficient funds you may have them.
We can all HOPE, its what life is made of?

Best Wishes,
Anne Sugden.

It has been reported by the Mail on Sunday that Britain's biggest supermarket chains, including Waitrose, are selling halal lamb and chicken without telling unsuspecting shoppers.

Initially, Waitrose were reluctant to admit they sold halal meat. But later they confessed to selling Islamically slaughtered lamb.

Dear KWTG Supporter,

We have at last been advised by the Legal and Democratic Services Dept of the County Council how it is intended to progress our Town Green Application. You will recall that this Application was accepted by the Legal Dept as having been 'duly made' on 24 September last year, that Waitrose was made aware of this on 2 October but decided to build on the Cricket Ground anyway, aware that it was doing so 'at its own risk'. Clearly, Waitrose calculated that once the store was in place and trading, the town would accept it and opposition would fade, accordingly it opened almost 3 months ahead of the published opening date. The reaction has been interesting. It can now be clearly seen that the development is 'gross and incongruous' as described by the EDDC's Consultant Architect. I would describe the building as a 'planning obscenity'. I have spoken to many shopkeepers and improved trading as a result of increased footfall in the town has not happened - yet. The volume of traffic using King Street and West Street has, however, increased noticeably at some times on some days. My experience is that the reaction of townspeople to the development depends upon whether they value the appearance and atmosphere of Wimborne - the town, or whether they simply like having another shop to go to. May I remind that KWTG has never opposed a second supermarket in Wimborne nor had a quarrel with Waitrose. What we have opposed is development on a site that was a visual amenity unique to the town, within its Conservation Area and that was designated as an Open Space.

The Legal Dept has considered the matters and evidence relevant to our Town Green Application in concert with the DCC's 'Countryside Access Team'. It has been concluded that the nature of the Application is not suited for a decision without some public inquiry process. The form of a 'non-statutory public inquiry' to consider such applications is not prescribed hence there are various options open to the County Council. We are advised that the next step is to ask the 'Roads and Rights of Way Committee' to decide upon the form of Public Inquiry that is appropriate. It is hoped that a report will be presented to the Committee on the 29th November 2010. If that date cannot be met for any reason, the next Committee after that will take place on 13th January 2011. In any event, when the form of inquiry process is decided upon, it is likely to take 8 to 12 months for a final determination of the Application! The Legal Dept says that this timescale will, however, depend upon the directions given for the conduct of any Inquiry and other priorities.

When the form of Public Inquiry is decided upon, we shall have to decide how we are going to participate. To date, I have financed legal advice for KWTG costing some £2K but this has enabled us to maintain the bulk of your contributions in the KWTG bank account which currently stands at around £1000. But if we are going to have professional legal representation at an Inquiry we shall need, perhaps, 10 times this sum! Or would any of you like to be a volunteer QC for a few days - for a modest fee. We shall, of course, investigate if Legal Aid is possible for such a process. I should welcome your thoughts or suggestions on this dilemma - the choice is an amateur QC or a major fund raising exercise for a professional one. Or does anybody have any other ideas, please give me your thoughts at ...

Regards,
Philip Atlay

I notice they are now selling papers and magazines. How long before they open a coffee shop. In spite of all their 'community' talk I also notice there is no map of Wimborne up there, nor any encouragement to 'their' shoppers to visit the town.
All the very best, Ruth Blaug

Thanks for all your kind messages of support. I sense a wind of change in local politics, and hope and pray that we win through in the end.
The first time I drove past Hanham's ground and saw the scaffolding being erected, I vowed to fight for its removal. It might take some time, but we shall keep trying.
JB

Thank you for your in depth situation on Wimborne's Town Green, there seems to be a lot of sensible people involved and I hope the Council now reinstates this valuable piece of land back to the General public and most of all. the local habitat around.
Paul Carruthers

I have been so saddened by the changes in Wimborne, especially the Waitrose site, that today, after 27 years as a Wimborne resident, I moved out of the town. I will still follow your progress via the internet, but feel that the spirit of the Town that I used to know, has already gone. It is farcical, that "they" promised "a green park", the whole developement is an eyesore. I am delighted that I won't have to see it again. Julie Meredith