Newly-elected Dever Society Chairman takes up the fight against major development at Micheldever Station.
“Last year’s triumph over the proposed eco-town was your Battle of Britain,” the Dever Societies new Chairman told distinguished guests and Dever Society members at their Annual General Meeting in Micheldever Station on Monday evening. But, Douglas Paterson cautioned, “the war isn’t over yet!”
Members were reflecting on the defeat of Zurich/Eagle Star’s eco-town proposals for Micheldever Station last spring. That proposal, said the retiring Chairman Richard Cowen, “was arguably the most serious challenge that the Society has faced since its inception in 1990. Had Eagle Star’s proposals made it onto the Government’s eco-towns shortlist,” he explained, then “a new town at Micheldever Station would have been virtually unstoppable.”
Looking ahead, Richard Cowen drew comfort from the disclosure that Eagle Star is ‘considering its options’ after years of its bullish reactions to being rejected. “This was the company’s biggest-ever set-back, and their significant change of tone gives us some hope,” he said. “But, for as long as Eagle Star continues to own the land, the threat will remain.”
The Society’s President, Professor Khalid Aziz, paid tribute to Richard Cowen and retiring committee member Phil Bryant, as well as all those who had worked tirelessly with the Society to defeat Eagle Star’s scheme. “You may have seen this evening’s news that the proposed eco-town at Ford in West Sussex may be going ahead,” he said. “Ours was an expensive fight, but make no mistake. It was a very necessary one.”
The Society will remain vigilant under Douglas Paterson’s leadership as it looks forward to its 20th anniversary next year. Referring to the name of a local field that his family has farmed since the Second World War, Douglas concluded; “we’ll fight Eagle Star on The Beeches if we have to!”
Prospective Winchester MP and Winchester City council leader George Beckett both attended the meeting. Speaking afterwards, Steve Brine said; “I am actually a member of the Dever Society and am full of admiration for the effective work they did last year to repel this threat. If I and the local ward councillors helped in any way that is great because we had a lucky escape here. As time has passed, and the Government’s eco-town master-plan descends into evermore chaos, it becomes more obvious than ever just how lucky!
"I don’t know Douglas Paterson well but we have agreed to meet up soon and I wish him every success in taking over from Richard Cowen – who is quite an act to follow."