How you can help

1. Object to the Developer:

You must do this before 7th October 2008. Your Parish Council has insisted that the Developer must run a public exhibition of the latest MSA proposals and consult with the local community. To make it easy for you to inform yourself and register your objections, the Parish Council also insisted that the Developer made the plans and the consultation process available online. You can find the Developer's website by clicking here.

Please go in person to the public exhibition at Boroughbridge Library from 19th August to 16th September. Tell the staff there that you strongly object to the plans and that there should be no motorway services at Kirby Hill. Even if you can't go to the exhibition, please fill-in one of the Developer’s consultation response forms, stating that you strongly object to the plans and giving, in your own words, the reasons why. These might include:

• There is no need for an MSA at Kirby Hill, as a new one is already being built on the A1(M) at Kirk Deighton, north of Wetherby.
• Kirby Hill is too close to the new services at Kirk Deighton. The Government recommends a spacing of 28 miles.
• The A1(M) north of Dishforth is being upgraded to motorway. It would be better to build an MSA at the same time on an existing site, e.g. Leeming Bar.
• A massive MSA development could not be successfully integrated into the large-scale, open, rural landscape at Kirby Hill.
• Such a large and inappropriate development would destroy the unique character and identity of Kirby Hill village.
• The proposed mounding and tree planting to screen the MSA is totally out of character with the surrounding landscape.
• The visual intrusion by day and especially by night would be huge.
• The large loss of agricultural land is unacceptable.
• The proposed MSA is too close to Dishforth Airfield.
• MSAs attract crime and should not be sited so close to a quiet rural village.

2. Write a letter:

Please write a letter of objection. State that you are objecting to the proposed Kirby Hill MSA and quote the Planning Application reference number (which will be posted here when available). Write your objections in your own words. Click here for a list of the main reasons the local community opposes the proposed MSA. Write to:

Mr Neville Watson

Planning Department

Harrogate Borough Council

Knapping Mount

West Grove Road

HARROGATE

HG1 2AE

Copy your letter to your Harrogate Borough Councillor. Telephone your councillor to discuss your concerns and ensure that he has read your letter. Councillor contact details are as follows:

Newby Ward (if you live in Kirby Hill):

Cllr Nick Brown (Conservative)

The Old Vicarage

Cundall

YORK

YO61 2RN

Tel: 01423 360150

E-mail: nmbfive@aol.com

Boroughbridge Ward (if you live in Boroughbridge):

Cllr Robert Windass (Conservative)

12 Harness Lane

Boroughbridge

YORK

YO51 9PF

Tel: 01423 323928

E-mail: robert@windass.fsnet.co.uk

If you are able to make copies of your letter, also send one to your North Yorkshire County Councillor and to your MP:

Cllr John Watson, OBE

Evergreen Cottage
Main Street
Kirk Deighton
Wetherby
LS22 4DZ

Tel: 01937 586011

E-mail: cllr.j.watson@northyorks.gov.uk

Anne McIntosh MP

House of Commons

LONDON

SW1A 0AA

Tel: 01845 523 835

E-mail: mcintosha@parliament.uk

3. Attend a Public Meeting:

Details of any public meetings held to discuss the proposed MSA will be posted here. Please make every effort to attend one of the information sessions. Later on, there may be critical dates when maximum turnout is needed to demonstrate the strength of community objection. We will keep these to a minimum and ensure that plenty of notice is provided.

4. Contact us:

If you would like to offer specific help, please contact us.