The Greening Alton & Holybourne Campaign

The Greening Alton & Holybourne Campaign
To contact the campaign either or write to:-

Mrs Chris Chappell, Secretary,
Greening Alton & Holybourne Campaign,
65 Ackender Road,
Alton, Hampshire. GU34 1JT.
Tel 01420 544422

A committee of volunteers has been inspired to form a local 'Greening Alton & Holybourne Campaign' (GAHC).
It is based on the hugely successful campaign run in Petersfield in May 2007 and has now spread to
hundreds of towns and villages across the South of England.

Proposed New Tesco Store in Alton
The official date has passed but here are some issues that the Greening campaign has about the new store.

Update on the Greening Alton and Holybourne Campaign (GAHC)
More and more scientists are now concerned that we have just eight to ten years to get carbon emissions under control and so stop irreversible climate change.

Phase One
The Greening Alton and Holybourne Campaign started with a small group of energetic members from Alton Friends of the Earth in January 2008. The early committee soon increased from 11 to 22 members, following the successful public meeting in March which set the '10 challenges' for our Phase One Challenge Cards campaign. This involved asking every household to make at least five out of ten simple ‘challenges’, Examples included changing three light bulbs, walking or cycling if the journey is less than one mile and turning off the lights when you leave a room. The official launch of the Challenge Cards in June 2008 comprised a 'green ideas competition' for local schools, short cycle routes and groups 'walking a mile' to the public gardens where we staged a concert of several different community music groups, an exhibition of 'green technologies' in the community centre and in the evening an illustrated talk, with wine and nibbles, at Alton College.

We hit the heights in Phase One with a massive carbon saving across the town of 213 tonnes of CO2.

The celebration party in September spurred many ideas for our Phase Two projects, all involving more people and/or saving more energy.

Phase Two
We are now focussing on three community projects:

Growing local food

Increasing home insulation

Reducing plastic bags

For further details and contacts, please read on

Growing Local Food
The World Bank says "The UK can no longer take its food supply for granted." DEFRA’s figures for 2007 show that the UK currently produces around 48 percent of its own food. As a densely populated industrialized economy with a temperate climate we can never produce all the food we need - even with all available land turned over to agriculture, too little food would be produced to sustain the current population of 60 million. But we could do better. DEFRA estimates that the UK could be 73 percent self-sufficient.

That 73 percent is good news because the perfect storm of climate change, depleting oil reserves, population increases and land lost to the sea will make it increasingly vital that countries pay attention to food security.

The Local Food Group, an offshoot of GAHC is actively working on plans to improve Alton’s food security.

Alton is surrounded by farmland, almost all of which is given over to meat production. Of the half dozen or so farms that circle Alton and Holybourne not one grows vegetables or fruit. Alton’s fruit and vegetables are flown, containered or driven here using carbon producing fuels not just in production but in transport and refrigeration too – an expensive, climate changing and energy wasteful operation.

But it could be different. We could develop a truly local food economy. The GAHC Local Food Group aim is to:

Acquire land in or around Alton for sustainable vegetable and fruit production

Involve local people in the planning, growing and consumption of that food

Develop agreements with local families, businesses, schools and organisations to commit to buying the produce

Make the land available for educational projects about growing and climate

Run workshops on all areas of sustainable food production and food storage

Provide a resource for local charities working with disadvantaged groups of people

Latest update May 12th - 2 acres of land has been offered to the group for two and a half years.

Penney Hames. GAHC, Local Food Group. Tel via Chris Chappell 01420 544422

Increasing Home Insulation
The aim of the project is to enable more homes to be effectively insulated, significantly reducing fuel costs and CO2 emissions.

A high proportion of CO2 emissions arise from UK homes: 28% of the UK total CO2 emissions arise from residential energy consumption; 35% from businesses and 27% from transport.

There are significant gains to be achieved from increasing home insulation. It is estimated that if ten homes reduced their energy consumption by 10%, through better insulation, this would save 6,000 tons of CO2 every year. (Ref Energy Savings Trust EST)

Most homes built before the mid 70’s were built with inadequate insulation. They may or may not have a cavity in the brick walls and were built with no loft insulation. As 35% of heat is lost through the walls of a home and 25% through the roof, the extra heating required to bring the rooms up to a reasonable temperature in winter is significant. A recent report for London (Lagging Behind, Dec 08) shows that 2.5 million homes are in need of cavity wall insulation and 1 million in need of loft insulation. At the current rate of take-up it will take 65 years to fully insulate all homes.

According to data collected from the 2001 census, there could be over 300 homes in Alton in fuel poverty (defined as 10% of household income spent on home heating and hot water) and 60 in the Holybourne and Froyle ward. (Ref: Centre for Sustainable Energy). We cannot fail to support those most in need.

We need to determine the scale of the problem and start helping those most in need and most likely to take up offers of help.

Our objectives for 2009 are:

Conduct a survey to estimate the scale of the problem and barriers to the uptake of insulation

Train a few volunteers to provide a liaison, information and advice service through home visits and energy audits, based on a proven scheme from Shropshire.

Chris Chappell. GAHC, Home Insulation Group. Chris Chappell 01420 544422

Reducing Plastic Bag Used
Every year the UK uses 17,000,000,000 or more one trip bags; about 300 bags for each adult on the planet. We are using one million bags per minute. On average we use each plastic bag for approximately 12 minutes before disposing. It can then last in the environment for centuries.

Plastic production uses 8% of the entire world's oil production. At the current rate the world produces 200 million tons of plastic a year. 96% of the entire world’s plastic is not recycled or incinerated. World plastic production is increasing by 3.5% per year. This means that every 20 years the amount of plastic we produce doubles.

Packaging represents the largest single sector of plastics use in the UK. 56% of this is used for disposable items of packaging that are discarded within a year. This debris is accumulating in landfill and the environment and the problem is growing fast. In India use of plastic is 2 kg per person per year while in Europe it is just over 60 kg per person per year.

Taking a plastic bag is like putting the kettle on. One bag uses enough energy in production to make 4.8 cups of tea. One reusable bag can replace 1000 one trip plastic bags.

Plastic does not dissolve; it ultimately just breaks into tiny pieces and stays there. At this size it is small enough to be ingested by every single organism in the world's oceans - animals as small as plankton feeders right up to the great Blue Whale. When predators in turn eat the plankton feeders the toxins move up a level.

What can we do? We can make a difference in our own small way. Let's stop using plastic bags in our shops and town.

We are questioning all the shops in Alton to find out their policy on the use of plastic bags. The results will be published on our website and in the press.

UK shops reduced the number of bags they handed out by 26% over the last three years. This is a start but there is still a long way to go. The government is now calling on the top seven supermarkets to reduce their bags use by 50% on their 2006 usage. It may be that this voluntary agreement will help- but only if we are part of the solution.

Bill Jabelman GAHC, Plastic Bags Group. Tel 01420 562267

If you have a comment, idea, suggestion or offer of support (including sponsorship - none of this can happen for nothing) give Chris Chappell a call on 01420 544422 or email The Campaign would love to hear from you.
This is a local venture and we need all the ideas, help and support we can get. Just email, telephone or write with anything that you think can help this campaign be a real success. We’ve made a fantastic start - help us keep going.

Chris Chappell, Secretary. May 2009.

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The next Greening Committee meeting will be at 7:30pm on Tuesday 18th July 2009 in the Cellar Bar of the Crown Hotel.
Meetings are free!! Do please come along if you would like to join in and help us.

On Wednesday October 1st 2008, Sainsbury's in Alton removed
one trip plastic bags from display.
Customers now have to ask for a one trip bag.
Reusable bags are also on sale for 10p each.

Here are some totally sad pictures of wildlife
entangled in plastic bags.

Proposed New Tesco Store in Alton

You are probably aware that Tesco has put forward a planning application for a new store on the outskirts of Alton (on Mill Lane at its junction with Montecchio Way).
The application has been placed with East Hampshire District Council (ref 22467/003) and is currently in the middle of its consultation period. This consultation period ended on 8th June 2009.
At the time of writing no date has been set for this application to be reviewed by the appropriate planning committee.
If you are planning on writing to East Hampshire District Council to either support or object to this application, or have not decided what to do please look at some points that the Greening Alton and Holybourne Campaign believe should be considered by those making a decision regarding this application.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions

Tesco mention in their proposal that this building ‘reduces its carbon emissions by 28%’. This sounds commendable until you consider that Tesco has achieved a 70% CO2 reduction in the carbon footprint of at least one other store and the Government’s targets for CO2 reduction currently stand at 80%.

Power Consumption

The planning application includes a number of energy saving technologies. However, these only appear to contribute 3% to the overall CO2 saving. Tesco should be considering a building that would consume substantially less power for lighting, heating, cooling and electrical devices than that proposed.

Renewable Technologies

The application includes provision for a combined heat and power system. However, there is no commitment for using renewable energy technologies.

Pedestrian Access

Access to the store by foot assumes major changes to the paths and road junctions. Improvements are described in the application, but such changes are the responsibility of Hampshire County Council. Therefore this application should only be approved if there is a firm commitment from Hampshire County Council that any changes to the paths and highways are complete when the store opens.

Public Transport

Access to the store by public transport assumes major changes to the road layout and agreement from the relevant bus service provider. Again suitable provision is suggested in the application. This application should not be approved unless there is a binding commitment from both the Bus Company and Hampshire County Council that changes will be in place when the store opens.

Shuttle Bus?

At about 1.5 miles from the town centre, the proposed store is too far away for most of Alton's residents to walk with their shopping and the Bus Service that currently operates to/from Montecchio Way is infrequent with currently no Sunday service. Therefore in order to encourage Tesco customers to leave their cars at home, Tesco should provide a shuttle bus between the proposed store, Holybourne and Alton.

Impact on the Local Economy

Tesco has claimed that the presence of a store on the outskirts of Alton would bring shoppers to the town centre and result in a positive impact on the local economy. However, anecdotally, a store like that proposed would have the opposite effect. We would therefore feel that the range of goods on sale in the proposed store should be restricted so that it compliments that which is available in Alton. Also, Tesco should work with local producers and traders and thus help to maintain and enhance the self sufficiency of the local economy.

You may or may not agree with the above. But if you do, do make sure that any letter of support or objection includes any points that you do agree with. Please make sure that any letter arrives at

East Hampshire District Council
Penns Place
Petersfield
Hampshire
GU31 4EX
no later than 8th June 2009.

Other points to note include:
The planning reference number (22467/003) should be included in any correspondence that relates to this application.
If you feel that the application should not go ahead, please use the word ‘object’ in your letter.
Details of the application can be found at East Hampshire District Council’s web site using this link: or
go to this page and enter the 22467/003 application number into the Application Quick Search box.

It is also possible to post your comments online using the link at the bottom of EHDC’s plannng web page.

If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact us by using the email link at the top of this page.

Here are some additional comments about the effects of supermarkets from the CPRE in September 2008.

The number of supermarkets has risen from 457 in 1986 to 1102 in 1997 and market share increased from 30% to 54%. Four firms now account for 75% of grocery sales. Market shares in 2008 were Tesco 31%, Asda 17%, Sainsbury 16%, Morrisons 11%, Co-op & Somerfield 8%, Waitrose 4%, Aldi 3%, Lidl 2% and Iceland 2%.

Effect on smaller convenience stores. Supermarkets kill smaller convenience stores: 64% have been lost in Fakenham and 75% in Warminster after a superstore opened.

Job losses. During two year period after opening of 93 superstores, net job losses in retailing alone averaged 270 jobs within a 10 mile radius of each superstore opened. These figures do not include florists, clothes shops and newsagents which have been badly affected too.

Local produce? Typically only 1 – 2% of supermarkets turnover comes from locally produced food. National consumer surveys show that 70% of British shoppers would like to buy local food and 49% would like to buy more than they do now.

Local economy. The money spent in local independent shops is then re-spent 3 times before it leaves the area, while over 90% of money spent in supermarkets leaves the area immediately.

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Biofuels are mostly a bad idea. To find out why and to contact your MEP:- Click Here
You can contact Alton Friends of the Earth - (AFoE)

If you see a mistake or wish to comment on the campaign, please send an email to
If you would like to use any of the material on this site, please email us.
If you have found this site useful, please feel free to link to us at any time.

Here is the link to our home page at:- Greening Alton & Holybourne Campaign
and here is some sample code for the link -
<a href="http://www.greeningalton.org.uk">Greening Alton & Holybourne Campaign</a>

Last Change - June 2009
Legal stuff - Details are subject to change but believed to be correct at time of writing (allowing for typing errors).
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