Rally to keep Greenham control tower for community
Local Liberal Democrats have campaigned for Greenham Control Tower to be sold to a community group since West Berkshire Council declared it was for sale earlier this year.
More than 900 people have signed a petition launched in June by Greenham district councillors Julian Swift-Hook and Billy Drummond, to see the iconic building restored for community use.
Mr Swift-Hook last week revealed that a number of organisations were also backing the campaign, among them the Corn Exchange, Greenham Common Trust, Newbury College and the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
Thatcham Town Council also voiced its support at a meeting last week, at which Owen Jeffery (Lib Dem, Thatcham South and Crookham), said it would be to the “eternal shame of West Berkshire Council” if it was sold to a private buyer.
Greenham Parish Council has already declared it intends to make a bid for its purchase under the Community Right to Bid scheme, with the intention to transform it into a visitor centre and café.
Mr Swift-Hook said: “We have collected a consortium of interested groups from around the area. There’s an enormous amount of support both from the community at large, individuals in the area and also from community organisations. It’s about the control tower being a community resource.”
Last month, the leader of West Berkshire Council, Gordon Lundie (Con, Lambourn), denied accusations that he was putting profit before heritage, saying he would rather see the building sold to a community group.
He added that he would not consider a sale to a private buyer unless its bid was at least 50 per cent higher than any community offer.
Greenham Parish Council has until September 7 to submit its bid.