Follow up action on the Visitor Centre proposal at Spurn.

So that people won't feel intimidated by writing to a big commercial company ( Eon in this case ) I've set out below a copy of an E-mail I've sent to their Chief Executive this morning explaining why people are concerned with the proposal at Spurn.  It probably comes as no surprise that, following their usual pattern of high handedness, the YWT have advertised senior management posts associated with the initiative previous, at least as I understand it, to Eon making a final decision on funding and before even a screening application has been submitted to the Planning Authority.

Dear all. may I bring the following to your attention? Whilst I am not a Holderness resident, I have had a close affiliation with Spurn over the years. In addition to the local community I must emphasize that there are many, like me, who live elsewhere, but who are concerned and opposed to the current Visitor Centre proposal by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Eon's role in supporting the venture. Last week, whilst in the Cairngorms in the Highlands , I had a conversation with a group of people who were adamantly opposed to the idea but, who, because of their residence elsewhere ( in their case Derbyshire ) would automatically fall outside any local consultation processes. The reason behind all this , of course, is that, for birdwatchers, Spurn is an extremely important location and one to which groups and individuals visit from far and wide. Raising such concerns through this medium appears to be the only viable alternative at present.

My own professional background is in conservation , although I am now retired. I run a Blog, the address for which is given below, and have put out three entries related to the above proposal ( 17th and 26th January and 29th April ) which I would urge you to read. The Blogs set out the reasons for my concerns and , I hope, adequately express why I am in opposition to the initiative and am prepared to encourage other people to be so too. In my most recent Blog I encourage people to write to both the YWT and yourselves if they have concerns. This is why I am writing to you now as I feel it only fair to advise you that I have publicly distributed your contact details in this way.

I am in contact with several local people who have met with your staff to discuss the matter and am aware of the poor reputation YWT has within the local community and the increasing erosion of your own company's credibility. It is sincerely felt that the proposal is a "white elephant" ,based on the optimistic claims made by the YWT , and that the educational and other objectives set out by Sandra Stephens on your company's behalf will be inadequately met and lead to a further erosion of trust and credibility within the local community. Financial support allocated for a venture that is felt to be ill-advised in commercial terms, and doomed to failure, can be seen to be somewhat unfair and exclude other possible candidates in the Holderness area. Such is not felt to be in the wider interests of your company.

I hope you don't object to my actions and comments and, should you have any queries in this respect, I would hope that you would be in touch. Thank you for your time.

Regards,

John Armitage.

John S. Armitage
Isle of Islay,
Argyll,
Scotland.

PA47 7SZ

Do please appraise yourselves of the facts surrounding this proposal ( see the Blog entries on 17 and 26th January and 29th April ) and consider writing to Eon and the YWT, addresses for which are within the April blog entry.  Thank you.