There were once nine lakes…
Local people have joined forces with ecologists and environmental activists in a pledge to save Thrupp Lake (at Radley, near Oxford), following a decision by Npower bosses to dump 500,000 tonnes of fly-ash on to the site.
Thrupp lake is a nature reserve as designated by Oxfordshire County Council, with many rare plants, insects and animals including water voles and otters.
The plan is to cut down over 1,000 trees so that Npower can drain then fill the lake with 500,000 tonnes of toxic waste ash from the nearby Didcot Power Station. The waste ash is pulverised fly-ash which can be recycled and used in various building products such as cement and breeze blocks. Past study found traces of many nasties including Polonium 210!
Npower have already destroyed seven other lakes in the immediate area. The locals have been trying to save the lakes for many years using all legal means and have failed. Their latest challenge is to get the lake designated to village green status, which would save the lake. However, Npower have said they will begin work BEFORE this application will even be heard in court! The locals have welcomed us with open arms to fight this alongside them.
As part of this, our group occupied an empty property on the shore of the lake on December 28th with a view to protect the lake and using all non-violent means to resist eviction (Lock-on’s and barricades etc), whilst also opening the building up (compulsary purchased by Npower) as a field center for the study of the local ecology.
Recent News: Npower took us to County Court on 10th January to gain a repossession order to evict us, however, they did not expect us to have such a great legal team behind us. The order for repossession was thrown out as the papers were illegally served to us by Npower! Local press
headline was “Squatters win first round�. We are in court again Weds. 24th Jan. at the County Court in Oxford. We have a barrister working on the case and are putting up a stiff legal defense.
At present: We are working on defending the building and recording and photographing the local ecology (we need proof that certain species inhabit the area as part of the defense). We are still in LEGAL possession of the building and we have massive local support. The house is massive and the lake is absolutely beautiful.
HOW YOU CAN HELP : Visit us! Remember we are in legal possession and you are allowed to stay. Stay with us to defend the building if we get evicted, or come to do some ecology work. Bring your friends! (You may even see the Radley Lake Penguin!). Bring us things we need off our ‘Wish
List’. Come and support us in court on the 24th – bring banners etc.
Catch the train to Radley station (one stop from Oxford), and it is about a fifteen minute walk to the site. For directions ring the site mobile.
SITE MOBILE NUMBER IS: 07772 0553 384
For more information see www.saveradleylakes.org.uk or check out our progress on UK Indymedia or Indymedia Oxford.
Watch the video (video/x-msvideo 34MB)
WISH LIST
Food, Furniture, Blankets, Duvets, Sleeping Bags, Waterproofs, Ladders,
Buckets, Kitchen knives and cutlery, plates etc., Rope and Polyprop, Nuts,
bolts, Nails, Screws, Wire mesh, Tools, Spanners, wrenches, Socket sets,
Bottled Water (1 ltr), Banners, Paint, Shovel, Timber for building, Cable
ties, Climbing Caribineers for lock-on’s, Chains, 45 gallon oil drums,
Fake animal Fur (Yes thats right),Cash, YOU!