Welcome to sNOasis Concern the real facts about the SnOasis proposals in Suffolk

Planning Conditions imposed on SnOasis are not a mistake You may well have seen Mr Godfrey Spanner, Managing Director of Onslow Suffolk Ltd, on TV last week bemoaning that the SnOasis project is coming off the rails because of a minor wording glitch in the planning consent. That is absolutely not the case and once again we have the usual spin rather than substance pumping out through the media. The facts are these: Planning permission was given for the SnOasis, housing and railway station development on a number of conditions. One of these was that the development had to proceed as an integrated whole, thus preventing the developer from ‘cherry picking’ the bits that were financially attractive. That is where the much discussed word ‘all’ comes from and was an entirely proper condition laid down by the Secretary of State. The bleat that this is holding up the Snoasis development is entirely misleading – Onslow are indeed seeking to ‘cherry pick’ the development by asking Mid Suffolk Distract Council to let them proceed with some of the housing – so the impact on SnOasis is entirely erroneous. Mr Spanner is now petitioning the Prime Minister for help and we need you to write to Gordon Brown explaining the real facts – see below. The background here of course is that the project is in deep trouble. Onslow is saddled with debt; the Irish company to which 70% of Onslow Suffolk shares were sold last year is in liquidation; one of their directors is being sued for millions of pounds, at least one other director has a record of company liquidations and the chairman of Onslow Suffolk, Sir Jeremy Hanley, has resigned. Secondly, the planned development of the old cement works site for housing by Persimmon Homes has collapsed and thirdly, Onslow still have not applied for detailed planning permission despite a review team at Mid Suffolk District Council having been assembled in January. We also hear that, allegedly, Onslow owes £130,000 to Snowsports GB who originally endorsed the project - you will remember the skier Konrad Bartelski waxing lyrical on its benefits - and wonder if we will hear any more glowing endorsements from them! On March 27th, the Irish High Court appointed a liquidator to the company behind First Equity Group, an Irish investment firm that owns more than 70% of SnOasis developer Onslow Suffolk Ltd. Their money was invested in everything from apartments in Beverly Hills to villas in France and Italy and the £500 million SnOasis ski resort in Suffolk. The company’s projects have stalled and investors are trying to get their money back. As we have said all along, this is one more step along the road to SnOasis never being built..  Read more

Public Inquiry	Traffic impact	Visual impact	Wildlife Impact	Financial Viability	Environment	Register and Donate
The SnOasis Public Inquiry concluded in May 2007 under the chairmanship of Planning Inspector, John Gray. The final decision is currenly with the Secretary of State for Comunities, Hazel Blears. She is expected to give a decison by November 2008. Read more	SnOasis, the housing and railway station will generate a huge amount of new traffic onto local roads and the A12/14 which regularly become gridlocked. No new access roads are planned to take SnOasis traffic. Do you want to change that? Read More	The ski-dome will be a vast building that will blight the Suffolk skyline for many miles around the site. At night it will be covered in high intensity navigation lighting.  Judge for yourself what it will do to the value of your house. Click here to read more and see views of the SnOasis building from many local villages.	Far from being  'derelict' the current site is a beautifully restored area, rich in protected species such as the very rare pond bat, badger and crested newt. The proposals will destroy this unique habitat. Do you want to save this for future generations? Read More	Indoor ski complexes have a habit of going bust as do sister companies of the developers - Onslow )Suffolk). We could be left with a rusting hulk for years to come. Ipswich already has an artificial slope that has trained thousands of kids to ski. Read More	The area to the north of SnOasis and part of the site itself is designated a Special Landscape Area. These areas are supposed to be protected but SnOasis could destroy it despite MSDC's own protection policies. Once rural Suffolk has gone, its gone for ever. Read more	If you are concerned about SnOasis, register your concern and receive regular updates on how the campaign to change SnOasis is progressing. You can also make a donation to help us fight the forthcoming Public Inquiry and change the proposals. Register Now

 

Welcome to sNOasis Concern. sNOasis Concern is a community action group consisting of Suffolk residents and business people concerned about the impact of the proposed SnOasis and related developments at Great Blakenham. We are open to all; funded by donations and fund raising activities. Our primary aims are to ensure that any development of the former Blue Circle Masons Quarry and cement works at Gt. Blakenham can co-exist in harmony with the surrounding communities and wildlife. Read more We do not believe that the impacts of SnOasis and its related proposals have been fully appreciated by everyone in Suffolk. This is a very large and intrusive development proposed in a protected Special Landscape Area, teeming with wildlife and protected species. Suffolk already has very congested transport links and we believe that the proposals are wholly unsuited to this area. Local people who will have to live next to this are very concerned about a number of issues such as: Can our  roads can cope with thousands of extra vehicles every week ? Plus the 500 + cars / day will use the proposed railway station in Gt Blakenham? Why WON'T there be a special access road from the A14 to SnOasis? Why can there be a 240 feet high metal monster above the skyline in a Special Landscape Area? What will be the impact of SnOasis on the value of your house? Why can a developer be allowed to destroy some of the most beautiful landscape in Suffolk? How will the rare wildlife and the protected species be conserved? What happens to the children who use Claydon Football Club ground and use the pitches ? Will low skill, low paid jobs help our local school leavers and college graduates ? Does a pre-book, pre-pay leisure facility benefit local people and local economy Does it fit the local plan? Please help us change these developments to something the people of Suffolk can live with. If you want to stop or change the proposals, we need to fight our case at the Public Inquiry and win. That will take a lot of money to hire the right legal counsel and professionals. So if you are concerned about SnOasis please donate money. Mail us with pledges of donations to support@snoasisconcern.com or send cheques made payable to sNOasisConcern Ltd to: Graham Brand Treasurer, sNOasisConcern Hackneys Corner House Gt. Blakenham Ipswich IP6 0LG