Birthplace of British Democracy to be sold off to Hotel

Urgent News Flash from the Campaign to Keep Historic Ravens Ait Island For The People

Residents Challenge Kingston Council plan to sell historic island down the river,without honouring their commitment for education,recreation and public use.

Legal Challenge to stop plan to destroy the historic site of the beginnings of Parliamentary democracy.

· Land Rights and Environmental activists who in the Spring staged the dramatic occupation of the historic island of Ravens Ait at Kingston-on-Thames to save it for the people have teamed up with top lawyers and campaigners across London to challenge the legal basis of the Council's plan to sell-off the island to private developers.

· The renowned environmental campaigner Phoenix said, “the Royal Borough of Kingston thought they had seen the last of us with the unnecessary para-military eviction they perpetrated against us on May Day (we had offered a negotiated leaving date a week or so later,saving the massive eviction and security costs of over £125,000-200,000,another example of wasted public expenses).

The choice is clear: The island is historic common land and must be brought back into use for its community,historic purpose and administered for public use. The Council's plan to sell of this heritage in order to give a boost to their wasteful spending is a betrayal of their public duty”

·Local resident Anthony Yates said, “Kingston are intending to start their sell-off process in the first week of September, of what should be an open, public, educational and recreation facility. To stop this, on advice, we will shortly be serving the Royal Borough with a letter warning them to back-off their scheme because it is legally flawed. This could be followed by an Injunction and possible judicial review. There is still time for them to honour their commitment to use the island for education and public recreation,but if they don't further steps will follow”

· The historic Ravens Ait Occupation which set up an eco-conference and community centre from late February to May 1st 2009 saw up to 4000 visitors in 10 weeks who took part in all manner of activities, meetings, environmental debates and workshops.  “The occupation was a tremendous beacon of possibility and an island of hope in these troubled times. It must be brought back into public use,” said one visitor – Piers Corbyn – who gave some talks on the island.

Further information / interview ring Phoenix on 07769 791387

Visit www.ravensait.org.uk e-mail saveravensait@googlemail.com

· The Treaty of Lambeth of 1217, which helped to ratify the Magna Carta, was formalised on the island. This passed the power from the King to the Lords/Barons which began the House of Lords, thus it is THE BIRTHPLACE OF BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY.

·Ravens Ait is part of the National Heritage and common land which cannot therefore be sold to private developers. Concern was voiced by Lord Pesten in 1989 in the House of Lords when he voiced opposition to public spaces being sold for private development (check website for quote).

· Kingston Council seems intent on breaking its duty to keep the island for education and public recreation purposes.

· Kingston architecture students and activists have drawn up a plan with which the island could become an international example and public learning centre of good environmental practice and innovation. A flagship project for sustainability into the 21st century.(www.ravensait.org.uk) click final proposal at top and view landscape architecture proposal PDF further down.