Help save residents and the environment in Windsor

Aim

To raise money for legal costs to a challenge a large development on a 50 acre ecosystem from causing increased disease & death for people.

Overview

My name is Cllr. Wisdom Da Costa and, I am working with a group of other Councillors and residents to protect a 50 acre ecosystem close to the River Thames from being over developed using an flawed planning consent that will destroy the local ecosystem  and cause increased levels of sickness and death for thousands of people and animals due to high levels of air pollution affecting existing residents and 1,000+ residents buying these new, blighted homes..

Air pollution causes around 38,000 deaths each year in the UK through coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases and lung cancer, and asthma.

It has also been shown to cause dementia.

I have already tried to challenge the decision as a Councillor but, by Council has shown scant concern for the impact of the environment or residents or the apparent inappropriate application of planning regulations that were supposed to protect residents and the local environment.

It's time to challenge the decision and plans legally, and at a higher level, and use every means to protect our environment and save hundreds and thousands of people from suffering from the impact of air pollution, increases road accidents, and from the loss of a valuable cooling site during extreme heat.

We hope that by standing up and challenging this frightening development that it will protect our environment, safeguard residents and vulnerable people, and set a precedent for the council to improve it's process to prevent dangerous plans from being approved in the future.

Please donate to help us fight this blight and safeguard the lives of residents and local ecosystems.

More about the dangers of this proposed development

The 50 acre estate is a former green belt site which provides a natural defence from extreme weather including ground water flooding, river flooding, and provides cooling during extreme heat.

It is adjacent to the River Thames and forms part of the local ecosystem for wildlife and birds.

The plan to build 350 houses, a 150 place SEN School and other buildings will remove protection from Climate Change as well as causing tonnes and tonnes of Green House Gases to be present in the atmosphere each year.

The area around the site already suffered from worrying levels of air pollution and, the plan will add up to 2,000 extra vehicle movements to at the area thus taking air pollution levels far above World Health Organisation Levels as well as exceeding UK guidelines for 2010, 2028 and 2040 for NO2 and particulates PM2.5.

We contend that air pollution will be made worse by the poor road layout which offers only a single point of exit and entry onto a narrow local road for 2,000 vehicles per day. This will cause traffic congestion and so increase vehicle idling and air pollution.

This glorified cut-de-sac will also be a security risk for people living on the site and SEN children if the road gets blocked and emergency vehicles are prevented from helping local people in need.

If you share our concerns, please like, share and donate

Testimonials

Cllr. Ewan Lancôme, Datchet, Horton & Wraysbury said, "There is no argument about the need for additional housing but to use an adopted Borough Local Plan as evidence of suitability and acceptability of new development is just lacking common sense.  More development in areas where the supporting infrastructure is already overloaded is unacceptable.  Times have changed and I think the current BLP needs to be reconsidered as a matter of urgency."

Michael Boyle, local environmental campaigner, also commented that, "With more than one in seven of our native species facing extinction and 40% in serious decline, it is imperative that we act now to protect our green belt and fight to protect our natural world. Poorly planned green belt developments such AL21 are destroying important habitat too many of our native species and the loss of this green belt will undoubtedly further accelerate the decline of our natural world. "

Cllr. Wisdom Da Costa, Clewer & Dedworth West, Windsor said, "The consent to build on 50 acres of former green belt land is dangerous and if built out could impact the health of residents and even cause deaths due to air pollution, extreme heat and, high volumes of traffic on a narrow, busy cul-de-sac. So, in its current form, the development must not go ahead.

"Then there is the separate, and perplexing issue, of how and why this development was approved by officers and the way in which councillors on the panel were leaned on to grant consent."

"We would urge the developers to stop. And reconsider. Wouldn’t it be immoral to continue?"

Frankie Theobalds, Chair, West Windsor Residents Association said, "The AL21 development is a significant project that needs the full attention and scrutiny of the community which will be affected by it the most. I am particularly concerned about the single access point to the part of the development that links to Dedworth Road. What happens if a road traffic accident blocks this access? Are all the residents trapped for an extended period? And emergency services won’t let be able to get to anyone who needs help until the road is cleared. This development needs a rethink to make it logical and safer"

Please like, share and donate so we can challenge the developers and the planning department at the Council

Help us fight a system biased against ordinary folk

The system is biased and is skewed towards the wealth and big companies with a lot of money needed to challenge dangerous decisions by planning departments.

We need your help to add costly legal muscle to our argument to save our local environment, protect people, especially the vulnerable, from being unnecessarily afflicted with illnesses and dying, and to help set a precedent and change our council's decision making processes for the good of all, and not just mega bucks building companies.

Thank you for reading this far.

Please like, share and donate.

Extra infographic on how Air pollution affects everyone

Please like, share and donate.

Assurance Information

For the avoidance of doubt, money raised will be used to pay for formal advice from  barristers and, possibly also to engage consultants.

Any funds raised will be managed by the ACCA regulated accountancy firm, A Star Accounting Services Ltd.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 21st September 2023