October 2008 – Financial markets turmoil to finally sink SnOasis? With financial markets around the globe in meltdown, we ask if this is the end for this scheme? At the public Inquiry, we presented strong evidence to show that SnOasis was not viable as either a capital investment or as a going concern. The recent turmoil in financial markets has finally swept away any hope that that this scheme will get backing for what is now probably over a £500 million investment with no hope of return with its current business plan. However, this may be not all good news for those concerned about the development since, if planning permission is finally granted, the developer will almost certainly return with a revised scheme. To be viable, it needs to attract far more visitors than currently outlined and have a much larger shopping content – something that will not be of good news to peopel who live locally or Ipswich shopkeepers. Approving any changes to the current plans would of course be Mid Suffolk District Council – major supporters of the scheme to date despite fierce opposition from most of the town and parish councils under its wing. So we expect the SnOasis saga to run and run unless the Secretary of State kills of this hopelessly non-viable scheme in her final determination. 30th September 2008 - Snoasis Community Alliance respond to latest developer proposals The Snoasis Community Alliance, a group consisting of sNOasisConcern; the Suffolk Preservation Society, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and 11 Town and Parish councils responded to the developer’s latest proposals. A copy of our response is available (scroll to the right of this page and click on 'downloads') but in short we do not believe that the developer has adequately answered the concerns over the use of power or safeguard protected species on the site. Once again, the developers have failed to come up with a satisfactory plan on either point. Part of their proposal on renewable energy is to build 10 wind turbines on the site, but even with this rather fanciful solution the proposals falls well short of the 100% target. Their proposals on ecology also fall well short of that required – see the statement by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust in our response. 18th January 2008 Major waste incinerator announced near to proposed SnOasis site Suffolk County Council’s proposal to build a giant incineration plant is to be vigorously fought by a new campaign to oppose the plan. Suffolk County Council’s proposal is to burn waste in a massive plant which would produce toxic greenhouse gases and dangerous waste material that pose a serious threat to health. The waste could be brought from as far away as London. The heath impacts of burning waste are well documented. The towns of Ipswich, Woodbridge and Felixstowe lie to the east of the propsed site, i.e downwind and therefore in the path of toxic emissions. "It is clear that there are serious and genuine concerns about the harmful effects on both health and countryside from incineration which is why many councils are now considering more environmentally friendly, safer options, that can also provide carbon-free electricity generation. There is no safe way to burn waste.” said Peter Welham, veteran SnOasis campaigner and now Deputy Chairman of Suffolk Together. “These major environmental and health issues seem totally out of line with increasing concerns for the environment and Suffolk’s declared aim of being the greenest county in the UK.” "While we accept that dumping waste in landfill sites is not the solution, the wholesale burning of waste producing massive amounts of CO2 and toxic gases cannot be the way forward. The right answer is to increase recycling and re-using materials and put emphasis on dramatically reducing packaging. Other approaches such as anaerobic digestion should also be seriously considered“ Welham continued.  As a result of widespread opposition, Norfolk County Council’s plan to build an incinerator at Costessey was halted and Suffolk Together believes the same should happen here. Suffolk activists are already in contact with other national and regional groups opposed to incineration and will be drawing on their experiences.

May 18th 2007. Everyone had a great time at Great Blakenham Village Hall dancing to 'The Inflatables' to celebrate the end of the SnOasis Public Inquiry and to thank everyone who has supported us so well. People have rallied behind sNOasisConcern in many ways - by taking part in our fund raising activities, donating money, writing letters, delivering leaflets, or just voicing your concerns along with us. We’ve come a long way from very small beginnings to form an Alliance capable of taking on megabucks developers and a District Council determined to let their ego ride roughshod over common sense and common people. We have proven to be a formidable opponent and we remain optimistic that common sense shall prevail in the end.

Tuesday 17th April 2007 Major fire breaks out at SnOasis site    - highlights dangers of placing SnOasis next to a landfill site and NATO fuel dump - - a major fire broke out today at the Viridor landfill site adjacent to the proposed SnOasis winter sports complex. sNOasis Concern chairman, Keith Willetts, said "This is exactly the kind of problem we have been trying to highlight and on which we have given evidence to the SnOasis Public Inquiry. The landfill site generates significant quantities of flammable methane gas and is only a few hundred metres from a major NATO fuel dump containing huge quantities of highly volatile aircraft fuel. After disasters like Buncefield, building a major leisure complex on this,serving thousands of people is sheer lunacy.” He went on “The developer and Mid Suffolk District Council have been brushing the problems with building SnOasis next to these hazards under the carpet for too long and ignoring the views of local people. Perhaps today will show that they are literally ‘playing with fire’.”

The fire needed a number of appliances from around Suffolk to extinguish the blaze which was initially caused by an articulated lorry catching fire and then setting fire to the landfill rubbish. The plumes of thick black smoke could be seen from Colchester, some 15 miles away.

Local people have long been concerned about a deadly combination of the landfill site which generates enough methane gas to fuel a power plant; the close proximity of the large NATO fuel dump; inadequate emergency access and the prospect of hundereds of new houses and a major leisure complex.

Christmas Draw. The Christmas Draw was drawn on 23rd January by Carol Lay, Chairman of Claydon Parish Council. The winners of the Draw are as follows: 1st Prize : Holiday for 2 : Mr W Freeman 2nd Prize : TV/DVD : Jim Simpson 3rd prize : £100 : Mrs Breader 4th prize : Box of Wine : Anne Williams 5th prize : Painting : Martin Pike 6th prize: Decanter : Anne Knight 7th prize : Bottle Whiskey :David Hardwick 8th prize : Bottle Wine : K Gladwin 9th prize : Bottle Wine : 42 Chequers Rise 10th prize : btle Wine : Martin Pike 11th prize : Perfumes : Sam (the Beeches) 12th prize Perfumes : Sandra Green 13th prize : C.D Holder : Tim Richards 14th prize : Box Chocs : Paul Adams 15th prize : Cook Book : Emma Evans 16th prize : Set of Mugs : 24 Chequers Rise 17th prize : Bill Whyman Book : Paul Lawler 18th prize : Confectionary : V Gladwin 20th January - Fund raising quiz night - a big success Many thanks to everyone who helped make the quiz night a big success last Saturday night. A good time was had by all and it raised lots of money for our legal fund.  12th January - SnOasis Public Inquiry at Needham Market  A packed Public Meeting at Needham Market Community Centre was held on 12th January gave an update on the status of our case against the SnOasis proposals. Many thanks to those who attended and helped raise funds and awareness.

21st November Snoasis Community Alliance legal team announced Thanks to the hard work and generosity of local people, the Snoasis Community Alliance has been able to begin engaging their legal team. William Upton will be the barrister representing the Alliance, supported by Dr. Wendy Lelas, one of the country's top planning experts. Simon Blinkhorne will represent the Alliance on traffic issues. Our team is greatly experienced in Inquiries like this and were the key people involved in defeating the recent Shotley Gate planning Inquiry. Click here for more information on the team. Other expert witnesses have now been identified and will be announced in the coming weeks. We still need funds to support this team and also offers of help from professional people with expertise in business issues, the environment, landscape issues, ecological issues and lighting - light pollution or navigation lighting. If you can help either financially or with expertise, please do not hesitate to contact us on newsletter@snoasisconcern.com Friday 17th November  - Snoasis Public Inquiry plans become clearer .At a Pre-Inquiry meeting held at Mid Suffolk District Council Offices, the shape of the Snoasis Public Inquiry became a bit clearer. Inquiry Chairman John Gray laid out his views on how the Inquiry should be run and gave indications on the timetable and key subject areas. The Inquiry will now start on Wednesday 24th January 2007 and be held at the Corn Exchange in Ipswich. The Inquiry will sit Tuesdays- Fridays and may take a mid Inquiry break. It is scheduled to last for around 5 weeks. The first 2 weeks at least will be taken up hearing the applicant’s submissions. Members of the public will be able to attend to whole of the Inquiry and there will be time allocated for local people to speak. This will probably be at a special afternoon and evening session which we hope will be held at Gt. Blakenham Village Hall during the 3rd week of the Inquiry. The Inspector has yet to rule on which day. Members of the public wishing to speak can either contact sNOasisConcern on speak@snoasisconcern.com or contact the Program Officer, Simon Osborne at poservices@fsmail.net. sNOasis Concern will be holding pre-Inquiry briefing sessions to help anyone wishing to speak. Just let us know and we'll add you to our database. The legal teams and objectors to the scheme have also become clearer. Mr Meyric Lewis appears for both Suffolk County Council and Mid Suffolk District Council in support of the applicants, Onslow Suffolk Ltd and Persimmon Homes. The applicants are represented by Mr. Rupert Warren. Objecting are: the Snoasis Community Alliance (a combined group of 15 parish and town councils, sNOasisConcern and the Suffolk Preservation Society). Also registered as formal objectors are Natural England (formerly English Nature); The Suffolk Wildlife Trust; Viscount Blakenham; Hutchinson Ports, Dr Robert Stebbings and the Suffolk Preservation Society. 17th November  - Grand Christmas Draw – please support our final push for funds before the Inquiry Our sister organisation, the sNOasis Society, is holding a Grand Christmas draw with great prizes such as a holiday for 2 in the sun, TV/DVD combo etc plus cash and many other prizes. We are looking for volunteers to help sell tickets, so if you can help by selling a few books, please send us a mail to draw@snoasisconcern.com or call Vic Ruck on 07860 346 433. 17th November - Big Balloon Walk raises thousands of pounds for the fighting fund Our Big Balloon walk held on 22nd October was a huge success – many thanks to everyone who took part and sponsored walkers. To date the walk has raised over £7000 and is a big boost to our funds. Many thanks once again to Steve Wright and Ken Southall who provided excellent organization and signage for the walk. Even the weather was kind to us.

9th November 2006 - New alliance formed to fight SnOasis plans at Public Inquiry sNOasis Concern has joined together with a group of other organisations opposed to the current SnOasis developments at Gt. Blakenham in Suffolk. To consolidate activities at the forthcoming Public Inquiry due to commence on 23rd January 2007, sNOasis Concern, Town and Parish Councils and the Suffolk Preservation Society have joined forces and pooled resources to form the Snoasis Community Alliance. The new group will engage a unified legal and planning team to represent the views of thousands of local people who oppose the proposals as they stand. The Inquiry is scheduled for January 23rd and expected to last for five weeks, with the lead Inspector and Assistant Inspector sitting Tuesday to Friday. The probable venue is Ipswich Corn Exchange as other buildings within Mid Suffolk and the surrounding area are not thought to be suitable. The new Alliance has requested that the Inspectors hold an open session for local residents to present their views at a more accessible venue with Gt Blakenham Village Hall being proposed. Pre-Inquiry meeting on November 17th. The Inspector will be holding a Pre-Inquiry meeting at Mid Suffolk District Council’s offices at 10 am. This is when the timetable and working arrangements will be discussed but no reference is made to the merits or otherwise of the cases. If you have previously written to the Planning Inspectorate, you should by now have heard from the Programme Officer asking if you wish to attend this meeting and or if you wish to appear and speak at the Inquiry. Please consider speaking at the Inquiry - the more the Inspector hears true local feelings, the more it will help our cause. Please return the sheet to Simon Osborne, the Programme Officer with the box ticked wanting to speak at the inquiry and also please let us know by sending an e-mail to speak@snoasisconcern.com Do you have specialist skills that could help us win at the Inquiry?. Although we are engaging experts to present the case to the Inspector, we always need people with specialist skills who are prepared to help prepare or present information on particular subjects. If you can help with any of the following areas, please don't hesitate to contact us by e-mailing us on support@snoasisconcern.com or calling 01473 830753. - Environmental issues - Business planning and analysis - Ecological issues - Landscape and visual impact issues - Traffic issues.

29th October SnOasis Public Inquiry Chairman named SnOasis Pre-Inquiry meeting scheduled for 17th November at 10.00 am The Secretary of State has now named the team who will head the SnOasis Public Inquiry starting 23rd January 2007. The Inquiry will be chaired by John Gray Dip Arch MSC Reg. Arch as Lead Inspector and Colin Tyrell MA CEng MICE FIHT will be Assistant Inspector. Also appointed is Simon Osborn who will act as Programme Officer for the Inquiry. If you have written to the Inspector or Go East, you may shortly be receiving a letter from Mr. Osborn inviting you to a Pre-Inquiry meeting at Mid Suffolk District Council Offices at 10am on 17th November 2006. If you receive such a letter you are encouraged to attend the meeting as this will give you a lot of insight into how the Inspector wishes to conduct the meeting. If you would like to speak at the Inquiry, and we are encouraging as many people as possible to do so, please return the form accompanying the letter marking it that you wish to speak. Please also let us at sNOasisConcern know, so we can help co-ordinate people opposed to the developments. Please e-mail us on speak@snoasisconcern.com with you details including any particular aspect of the developments you would like to speak about.

22nd October Big Balloon Walk a huge success The sNOasisConcern Big Balloon Walk on Sunday 22nd October was a huge success, raising thousands of pounds to provide a first class legal team at the forthcoming SnOasis Public Inquiry, Over 250 people started from Little Blakenham Woodland Garden on a  5 mile hike through  the beautiful Special Landscape Area around Nettlestead, Little Blakenham and Baylham that SnOasis will destroy. There was also a shortened version of the route for children and those out of walking practice! Both walks took in views of the SnOasis development site and the sNOasis Balloon. BBC Look East, SGR, Town FM, the East Anglian Daily Times and the Evening Star all covered the event which was enjoyed by all. Picture courtesy of East Anglian Daily Times

19th October SnOasis Public Inquiry date announced The date for the SnOasis Public Inquiry has now been set to start on the 23rd January 2007 and is expected to last for 20 days. So now the fight really starts. This will be a thorough and detailed examination of the proposals which, in our view, are totally unsuited to the site at Gt. Blakenham. If you are concerned about SnOasis and its effects on Suffolk, make your views known by writing to the Inspector in advance of the Inquiry ( for more details click here) and give your views in person at the hearing itself. To reserve a speaking slot please let us know on speak@snoasisconcern.com

18th August - sNOasisConcern poster on A14 makes BBC news. sNOasisConcern  placed a 40 feet long poster near the A14 in Ipswich to give a visible outlet to the anger and frustration that many people feel about the SnOasis proposals. BBC Look East and BBC Radio Suffolk both covered the poster launch.   If you want to stop or change the SnOasis proposals, we need to fight our case at the Public Inquiry and win. That will take a lot of money to hire a first class legal team, experts and professionals. Send cheques made payable to SnoasisConcern Ltd to: Graham Brand Treasurer, sNOasisConcern Hackneys Corner House Gt. Blakenham Ipswich IP6 0LG

9th August. Frightening new SnOasis pictures make BBC news. Several of the recently released images (click here) showing how SnOasis will look from surrounding villages made it onto the BBC Look East news program today along with extensive coverage in the East Anglian Daily Times and the Evening Star. SnOasis developer Godfrey Spanner called the images an "absolute joke". We agree - we think that building a 240 foot high, 200 feet wide and 700 feet long metal slug in the middle of a protected Special Landscape Area; promoting a business proposition that doesn't make money and threatening gridlock on our roads must be an enormous practical joke because nobody in their right minds would contemplate it. Click here for more on the SnOasis developers track record.

8th August. Frightening new images of SnOasis impact on landscape released. sNOasisConcern today released over 30 digital images to show the impact of the SnOasis buildings on various views of the surrounding area. Click here. sNOasisConcern commissioned a specialised model maker and design studio to photograph the balloon from many different locations around the proposed SnOasis site and build a scale model using the developers own drawings. From these digital images were built of SnOasis at close to the correct height and orientation. While these are only intended as a guide to what SnOasis will look like, the results are both stunning and frightening. If you live near to the site and were not concerned about SnOasis before, you should be once you see these images. If the real buildings are anything like them, it could have a significant and negative impact on the value of your house. Remember, it is likely that the building will be lit with high intensity navigation lights because of its proximity to Wattisham. Just imagine the view at night. If you want to stop or change the SnOasis proposals, we need to fight our case at the Public Inquiry and win. That will take a lot of money to hire a first class legal team, experts and professionals. The developer has stated that he will spend "about a million pounds" to put his case to the Inquiry, so if you are concerned about SnOasis please help us by donating 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

25th July SnOasis Public Inquiry announced. There will be a full Public Inquiry into the 3 SnOasis related developments at Gt. Blakenham. This is a significant milestone for sNOasis Concern who have been campaigning for such an Inquiry. Many thanks to the hundreds of concerned supporters who have written to GO East to explain their issues – your concerns have been noted!

23rd July - sNOasis Concern balloon flying again. The sNOasis balloon is flying again and the response from the public has been overwhelming. People are playing 'spot the sNOasis balloon' and mailing us with numerous sightings. It has been seen as far away as Humber Doucy Lane in Ipswich, as well as Battisford and Westerfield. The overall impression is one of shock at how high the SnOasis ski-dome will be and how intrusive it will be on the landscape. After all, the building will be 30 times bigger than the balloon and will be festooned with high intensity red navigation lights allowing it to be seen from up to 30 miles away.

19th June. Sabotaged -  we will not be silenced ! Just over 24 hours after the highly successful launch of the sNOasis balloon, it was sabotaged and set free - clearly someone was just too worried by the truth being revealed about the enormous height of the proposed SnOasis ski-dome. The balloon was securely tethered in a remote wheat field near to the proposed SnOasis site. Suffolk police are investigating and a trail was found leading through the wheat in the direction of the former Blue Circle quarry where SnOasis is being planned. The sabotage of the controversial balloon follows a well publicised launch attended by over 200 people to show everyone just how big the proposed SnOasis ski –dome will be. The helium ‘blimp’ was launched very near to the proposed SnOasis site at Gt. Blakenham. People were truly shocked at the actual height of the balloon and how far away it can be seen. The balloon itself is 30 times smaller than the actual building which will be a truly awful blot on our beautiful landscape. The launch was extensively covered by TV and in the press and sNOasis Concern have been receiving calls all day from concerned residents as far away Westerfield, Needham Market and Battisford about how concerned they are at the height of the proposals. The chairman of sNOasis Concern, Keith Willetts said "we aren't going to be silenced. Clearly there are people out there who are very worried by the truth about SnOasis coming out but we will not be intimidated - we will continue to tell the truth about SnOasis and bring home to the people of Suffolk just how bad this development is going to be for the area. Provided we can resolve the security issues, a new balloon will be purchased and flown." sNOasis Concern are offering a reward for information regarding this criminal and highly irresponsible act. Anyone with information should call in confidence to 01473 833317.

18th June. Launch day was a glorious June Sunday and large numbers of local residents turned out to see the the sNOasis balloon go up and to look at the lovely landscape within the quarry that will be destroyed if SnOasis goes ahead. But the fun soon turned to outrage when people saw how high the balloon was flying to simulate the actual SnOasis ski-dome. SnOasis developer, Godfrey Spanner quoted in the East Anglian Daily Times said" Mid Suffolk District Council wanted a landmark building". Well that is what we will get, a landmark visible for many miles around that says 'welcome to Suffolk, a once beautiful county!' SnOasis will be dominated by a 240 feet high, 200 feet wide and 700 feet long metal tube on one of the highest hills in our mostly flat county. It will poke its intrusive nose into every view across the Gipping Valley and at night could be visible up to 30 miles away, festooned with high intensity navigation lights. Scandalously, the papers submitted to the Snoasis planning Committee only took into account a trial balloon flown at 130 feet (40 metres) - almost half the height of the proposed building.

SnOasis plans finally sent to Go-East. After a delay of over a month for a so-called ‘clarification exercise” the SnOasis plans have finally been sent yesterday to GO East at Cambridge. There is now a 21 day exercise to decide if the plans should be called in for a public inquiry or if GO East will permit Mid Suffolk Council to proceed. GO East could also decide to extend this timescale.