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Bill Bryson

BILL Bryson, travel writer and president of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England has been lobbied as part of the ongoing fight to save Quakers Walk in Devizes from the attentions of developers.

Residents were shocked to learn the ancient bridleway alongside the proposed development of 244 homes, had to be resurfaced and lit as part of the outline planning permission.

The initial consultation event at Devizes Sports Club on April 21 turned into a fiasco as scores of residents tried to squeeze into a tiny meeting room to see the proposed detailed plans.

Planning consultants Pegasus have set up a second consultation meeting at the sports club on May 19 from 4pm to 8pm with a public forum at 7pm.

The previous deadline for submitting comments will be extended to allow comments to be submitted at the meeting.

Among the subjects up for discussion are the proposed improvements to Quakers Walk, which was condemned at the last meeting.

Protesters are particularly worried by plans to open the iron gates at the town end of Quakers Walk, surfacing and lighting.

They fear bikers will use it as a race track if access is available from both ends of the walk.

Resident Vibeke Ormerod has written to Dr Bryson, famous for books like Notes From a Small Island and Down Under, to alert him to the dangers.

She said: "Quakers Walk is used by many people, the occasional horse still comes along the bridleway, people pass along it on their daily business.

"Together with the fields that remain undeveloped, Quakers Walk is a green lung for all who come there. With another 1,800 houses planned for Devizes, we need to keep the few green areas we still have."

nRumours have abounded this week that Jewson's DIY store on the Garden Trading Estate in London Road has been sold to Persimmon Homes.

Persimmon has denied it has been in negotiation over the land.

A statement from Jewson's is still not available.

10:56am Thursday 8th May 2008

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