Speaking up

As a close neighbour of Swallows Meadow, the proposed site for a supermarket and 40 homes in Lower Earley on land designated by Wokingham Borough Council as countryside I am carefully monitoring the campaign to protect this precious green space.

I thank Wokingham.Today for their ongoing coverage.

Residents and the three Liberal Democrat Borough Councillors for the Ward are campaigning together very effectively: lobbying hard, organising petitions, using social media, they have already delivered leaflets, and are preparing to robustly challenge the expected planning application.

Last week, Liberal Democrat councillor Clive Jones was aptly quoted by your paper as one of the ward councillors who local residents recognise as having been at the forefront of the campaign.

However, I was surprised to also see lengthy quotes from Norman Jorgensen, prospective Conservative candidate for a different Ward in the May elections.

I was pleased that Mr Jorgensen stated his opposition to the proposed development, but surprised, as he seems to have been rather quiet on the matter in the three months since the campaign began.

There are so many reasons why what has already happened to Swallows Meadow and the proposed development are wrong.

Perhaps Mr Jorgensen might explain what he has done to support this campaign, and when he did it. I find it hard to discover, apart from the quotes in your newspaper, if he has done anything over the last three months.

Larry Godfrey, Lower Earley