Sean Bean, the star of the Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, is praised as a local hero as he spearheads a campaign to deter development plans for greenbelts.
Sean Bean has become a local hero after taking over “valiant and impassioned campaign” to save greenbelt land from development plans after the original campaign leader tragically died.
The Game of Thrones star, 66, has joined forces with other local residents of Handsworth, Sheffield, as part of the ‘Save S13 Greenbelt – The Sapphire McCarthy campaign’. Together, they seek to halt the plans of the local council to build 1638 homes in two areas of greenbelt land.
Sapphire was concerned that the proposed scheme would sagutter her “dream views” when she launched the campaign. Sean paid tribute to her and praised the “valiant and impassioned campaign” after her sadly passing away at the age of 39.
The campaigners claim that a significant development in Waverley’s immediate vicinity has already rendered health services and schools in jeopardy because of the increased pollution and overcrowding of the local infrastructure.
After raising £10, 000 to help with the housing plans challenge, Sean praised the community’s efforts and unity. He claimed that, despite receiving hundreds of objections and no assistance from the council, “MP Clive Betts has been the only source of assistance,” according to the Daily Mail.
It is amazing how the residents have come together and how they have managed to cram all this armor around them in such a short amount of time, and shows that we mean business. We are not letting that go. We won’t stop, and we will carry this out.
He noted that his own childhood love for the greenbelt and that the green areas designated for development have a significant impact on residents’ mental health.
The actor said, “I grew up in that area, and all of my friends and families from that area, which was the heart and heart of the area where we explored the countryside, laughed at, and played games, were very important to me. Because it is the only greenery in the area, it has long been a draw for children to grow up and encounter wildlife; it has since been a blessing to Handsworth and the surrounding communities. If we lost it, it would be devastating.
If you don’t have that space around you mentally and psychologically, it’s harmful because you become isolated, blinkered, and very claustrophobic, according to the saying “you have to have greenery, it’s calming influence, good for your health, and good for your mind.”
Sean continued, “The people’s land is their land.” What will the council do if they just flog it and keep the money? The council owns it, though. Then, it will be gone; they will have some of the money while we have nothing. He compared the area to Wimbledon Common in London and Central Park in New York, both of which are renowned for their advantages for both mental and physical health.
Cheryl Hague, a different campaigner, stated: “We are delighted to have Sean’s support on this important campaign and will continue this fight with the planning inspector meetings that will be held next week.
The planning inspectors of the government now have to decide whether the housing development plans are fair and robust after the Sheffield City Council voted through them in May. On Monday (September 29), a hearing will take a decision. 1.5 million homes have been promised by the Labour government.
According to the latest official statistics, homelessness in England is at a record high, with the number of rough sleepers increasing by 20% in just a year. Analysis from the Financial Times showed that one in every 200 households in the UK is experiencing homelessness, placing this country at the top of the global league of table for highest rate of homelessness.
The government also pledged to prioritise social and affordable housing plans, and promised to build 300,000 homes as part of what former housing secretary Angela Rayner called the “social rent revolution”. Social housing schemes are designed to build properties that can help alleviate homelessness by ensuring such housing is genuinely affordable and linked to local incomes.
It is unknown if the S13 greenbelt developments are part of this pledge, but the council are part of a coalition calling for a “green and decent homes programme”. In May, they said the coalition believes England’s council housing needs to be modernised and more funding for new council homes should be put in place.
Source: Mirror
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