Oldham Evening Chronicle Monday 16 February 1998

Battye Garden Protest

Eco-activists stage demo against Beal Valley work

EGO-ACTIVISTS targeted Oldham Council leader John Battye at home in a protest over the Beal Valley. Protesters were calling on councillors to halt tipping of M66 rubble and low-level toxic waste at the site of a planned golf course on green-belt land in Shaw.

A dozen adults and children shouting slogans marched to the semi-detached house of Councillor Battye in Hillside Avenue, Grotton, on Saturday.

The protesters from Oldham Earth First held banners and placards which read "Stop your eco vandalism" and "You must be Battye John".

Police

Two activists staged a game of toy golf in Councillor's Battye's front garden, while others threatened to erect a tent and one gave leaflets to his neighbours.

Three police officers in a van monitored the small group, including a mother and her two children, which challenged Councillor Battye to a debate.

But while the council leader watched from his lounge, a fourth officer answered protesters knocking on his door and issued warnings about trespassing.

Protester Lisa Jones said: "Ripping up the countryside at Beal Valley to fill it full of rubble from an unwanted motorway and turn it into a golf course is totally batty."

Another activist, Adam Marlborough, said: "We were threatened with criminal damage for playing golf in his garden, but what about the criminal damage he is doing to the environment."

One of the leaders of the group was Dr. Michael Bane of Delph, who is also a prominent campaigner against the UK arms trade with Indonesia. He said "It is dissappointing that Councillor Battye didn't come out to meet and talk with us. We came here to have a proper discussion about the council's plans. "Instead Cllr Battye has chosen to hide behind unnecessary police protection. Obviously, we can only think he has something to hide."

Councillor Battye refused to give a comment to the Evening Chronicle when he was contacted following the peaceful protest.


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