About 11 acres of the Pathfields site was owned by Stephens Dairies and Plymouth City Council. In 1987 the Dairy applied for planning permission on 1.3 acres of land directly adjacent to the conservation area to build 10 houses. This permission then grew to conditionally allow the building of 28 houses. A minimum 13 houses have been added to this plan - subject to a Section 106 planning agreement, which included a reference to potential flooding in the area.
Since then a deal was struck
between Plymouth City Council, the sites owners Stephens Dairy and housing developers
Beazer Homes. Now, the site is divided into two, with 18 dwellings in one and 13 in
the other - a total of 31 houses. From 1987 onwards it seemed, from the City
Council's own statements in the City of Plymouth Local Plan, that this area would be
protected from development. However, this has not been the case - the hollow words of the
City Council's Local Plan have seen the Pathfields site, once designated as a proposed
district park, succumb to the threat of housing development - against the wishes of
the local community, its councillors and MP. The people of Plympton are not happy about
these changes as we see our precious open spaces abused and blighted. For hundreds of
years this piece of open land has survived the encroachment of urban building. The
Pathfields are regarded as a tranquil refuge that has always been highly valued by the
community. City councillors would never sanction a new housing estate built on top
of the Hoe overlooking Plymouth Sound because they know it would be political suicide.
Yet, a majority of city councillors were content to rob Plympton of part of it's
most treasured, historic and environmental assets. The party political undertones
shadowing this decision are well known to local residents but the Pathfields Group has
refused to be drawn into these arguments, instead concentrating on what can be done to
save the land.
When Channel 4 Television's The Time Team visited Plympton, the series presenter, Tony Robinson said, "Sadly the threat of development [to the Pathfields] is the microcosm of what is happening all over Britain. I don't want to see people making quick and easy profits when what is of value is to not only one generation but to many, and there are times when people have to dig their heels in and say 'enough'. " Leading archaeologist Professor Mick Aston echoed these sentiments when he also told local news reporters that the people of Plympton should remain vigilant and not allow planners to give way so easily to the pressure from developers.
The Pathfields Preservation Group was formed as a voice for the community. By making people aware of the situation, the group has been responsible for encouraging at least 8,000 people to sign petitions or write personally to the city of Plymouth planning department registering their objection to the plans.
Public opinion expressed concern that the Pathfields is the only area of real natural wildlife value left in Plympton. The population of the town is growing - it is now bigger than many in surrounding districts and has been allowed to be intensively over developed in the recent years. If the special historic charm of Plympton St. Maurice is to survive and not be consumed by the urban sprawl, the true recognition of the value of the Pathfields must be brought to the attention of the city's planners and policy makers.
Losing part this precious
land to developers takes away some of the last open space in the area, creating a
housing estate with all the attendant pressures on the environment such as cars, tarmac,
noise and light pollution. If the community fails to respond to this threat,
then it would herald an open season by developers to build on every piece of green space
left in our area, nothing would be safe. Pathfields has become a symbol of local
opposition to the destruction of our green spaces throughout Plymouth and we will do all
we can to protect it.
Under pressure from the local community to protect the natural environment, Plymouth City Council has retained 0.4 acres of woodland on the site while selling off 0.8 acres of land at the top of the Pathfields to housing developers Beazer Homes. Plympton Pathfields Preservation Group will ensure that the trees are protected and properly managed in conjunction with Plymouth City Councils Nature Conservation Officer.
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