Hundreds expected in protest march against Ford eco-town

Upwards of 1,000 people are expected to take to the streets and fields around the village on Saturday as part of the campaign against the Ford eco town plans.

The campaigners will be coming from the surrounding villages as well as around Yapton to gather at the village's King George V playing field, off Main Road, at 10am.

Among those at the rally are expected to be TV presenter Ben Fogle and Olympic swimmer Duncan Goodhew.

Both have strong links with the area. Mr Fogle's family live in Ford, while Mr Goodhew grew up in Yapton overlooking fields which will be built upon if the eco town goes ahead. MPs Nick Herbert and Nick Gibb will also be present.

They are likely to be among those who speak to the largest crowd Yapton has ever seen.

Organisers from the Communities Against Ford Eco town (CAFE) campaign group will also speak against the eco town proposals before the march sets off.

CAFE campaign co-ordinator Susan West said: "We are feeling good about the event. We hope it will be a turning point to propel us to national attention.

"The turnout is looking good for 1,000. It may be even more. Everybody I have spoken to, everybody I have received an e-mail from have said they are coming and they are bringing their family as well.

"People are quite annoyed about the eco town plans. The feedback I get is that people feel disbelief and anger about the issue.

"They don't understand how the government could select Ford as a possible site."

The march will take the protesters on a circular route along footpaths across Church Farm and Lower Farm and Ford Lane before they return to the playing field about 50 minutes later. This is part of the site which would be concreted over.

March participants will have a large banner to state their case as well as at least 100 placards handed out by the organisers.

Arranging the march and rally, and mounting a concerted campaign against the eco town plans through a series of public meetings, has been achieved by CAFE in just a month.

The group was formed by concerned villagers after the Ford Airfield site was named as among 15 selected by the government for detailed scrutiny to become one of the ten locations for an eco town of 5,000 homes.

The settlement is intended to have advanced 'green' features and provide 2,000 affordable homes and thousands of new jobs. A decision on the final shortlist is expected in October.

Drivers have been warned that the roads around Yapton are expected to be very busy on Saturday morning.The need to cope with the large crowd has prompted Yapton Parish Council to take the unusual step of allowing part of the playing field to be used for parking.

The area will be fully marshalled with the necessary safety precautions. St Mary's Church will be holding its summer fete on the field at 2pm to make it a busy day in the village centre.

Click here to see the route marked, in red, the march will take.