ADD UPDATE, 31 October 2019: A Bishopstoke-based professional artist is so incensed by Eastleigh’s Local Plan that he has donated a beautiful painting (above) to support ADD’s fundraising efforts as we prepare our case for the Planning Inspector’s examination, which starts on 21 November.
For Paul Stratton of East Drive, who has lived in the village all his life, the countryside and woodlands near his home are an inspiration for many of his pictures. The 16 x 20 inch (40 cm x 50 cm) framed oil painting he has contributed shows Bishopstoke Woods as seen from Upper Barn Copse. The view would disappear if the Local Plan went ahead, even though the area has one of the highest levels of bio-diversity in the borough.
Paul’s painting is being auctioned here. This one-off auction will run until 5pm on 15 November.
“As a pensioner on a fixed income, I am in no position to make a large financial contribution so this is my way of helping ADD,” says Paul. “If the Local Plan went ahead it would be a disaster for the village and its environment.”
ADD is currently raising money to employ the legal and consultancy support it needs to make its case when the Planning Inspector starts her hearings into the Local Plan in three weeks.
“We have enjoyed considerable support with our fundraising, as we approach the final stage of the campaign leading up to the Planning Inspector’s examination next month. However, the fact that the whole process has been drawn out by Eastleigh and their continual release of further reports which try to justify their flawed plan, all of which have to be assessed, has meant additional expense. We now need to be able to engage our specialist consultants to attend at key stages of the Inspector’s examination and we have limited ability to do so,” said ADD chair John Lauwerys.
“We are immensely grateful to Paul for his support. It is a great illustration of how the community in Bishopstoke and elsewhere in Eastleigh is pulling together to back our campaign. We feel buoyed by the support that we are receiving.”
If you do not wish to bid for Paul’s painting but would like to donate to ADD’s campaign, click here. Whether you have given before, or will be giving for the first time, your donations will be crucial in ensuring we are able to present our arguments as forcefully as possible at the Inspector’s forthcoming hearings.
Thank you!
