Millennium Commission agrees to meet - we need your help!

The Millennium Commission have responded to our freedom of information request - they state that they cannot provide us with documents as it would take two and a half days to find them all. They have instead offered to meet us! Hurray!

This meeting will take place on Jan 14th at their offices in Leeds - This is our chance to have our say!

We Love The Earth Centre campaigners now ask for your help, we would like to voice everyones concerns and questions at this meeting and ask you to email us with your thoughts.

The Millennium Commission say they put 36 million into the project that eventually ran to a reported 114 million pounds, we are going to ask them to revisit their responsibilities as a commission and to help us revive this valuable resource for the community and the wider world.

The next public meeting is to be held on Jan 19th at 7pm at The Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare Club - all are welcome lets work together and reclaim reuse recycle!

Freedom of Information Response 2

Doncaster Council

Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

Contact: Trish Wood

Tel: (01302) 736916

Fax: (01302) 737362

Email: FOI@doncaster.gov.uk

Website: www.doncaster.gov.uk

Date: 23rd December 2009

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 1st December 2009 for

information about the Earth Centre. Please find below Doncaster Council’s response to the questions you have raised.

1. Most recent details of any quarry expansion plans in the Borough of Doncaster

Notice under Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 - REFUSAL TO

DISCLOSE INFORMATION

The council has decided to refuse to disclose the information you have asked for under

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

This law allows us to refuse to disclose information through the Freedom of Information

Act process which is “reasonably accessible through another route”. This is called an

“exemption”.

Why does the exemption apply in this case?

All information regarding Planning applications for quarry expansions and the

Development Plan (the Doncaster Unitary Development Plan), which contains policies

on quarries within the Minerals chapter and within Appendix 12, are within the public

domain. For your information, you can find information regarding planning applications

on the Council’s Public Access for Planning web page. You can see details of current

applications, monitor the progress of applications, submit comments on current

planning applications and search a constantly updated list of applications received and

decisions issued each week.

From 1st September 2009, you can view all documents and plans accompanying

planning applications and decision notices issued by using the View Associated

Documents tab.

Please use the link below to view details of applications:-

http://local.doncaster.gov.uk/PublicAccess/default.aspx

Doncaster Council

Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

Please use the link below to view Decision Notices issued before 1st September 2009:-

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Living_in_Doncaster/Neighbourhoods/Planning/developm

ent_control/planning_information/Planning_Applications_Decision_Notices_Issued_200

9.asp

In addition, planning applications from 1979 to 2003 can be viewed on microfiche, To

make an appointment, please telephone TSI Local Searches on 01302 734864/734940

or email tsi@doncaster.gov.uk.

Application case files from 2004 to 1st September 2009 are available to view in paper

form at the offices of Development and Planning at the address at the bottom of this

letter. To make an appointment to view paper files, please telephone 01302 734859.

You can also find information regarding the Doncaster UDP on the Council's website.

Please use the link below to view the UDP:-

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Living_in_Doncaster/Neighbourhoods/Planning/our_plans/

Doncaster_UDP_Document.asp

The Doncaster Local Development Framework will also contain policies regarding

quarries. The documents that have been published to date can be viewed on the

Council's website. Please use the link below to view the LDF pages:-

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Living_in_Doncaster/Neighbourhoods/Planning/Local_Dev

elopment_Framework/Local_Development_Framework.asp

2. Details of Earth Centre Ownership

Doncaster Council is the freehold owner of the land.

3. Details of DMBC agreements to maintain the Earth Centre for educational purposes

There are no agreements.

4. Details of all documents held by DMBC with regard to the Earth Centre

To answer this question properly, the Council would require more specific details of

what type of documents you are referring to. If you would like to submit a further FOI

request with specific details of the documents you require, we will consider your request

further.

Reviewing any decisions made:

You can ask us to review any decisions made about your request. You do this by writing

to:

Freedom of Information Officer

Council House

Floor 2

College Road

Doncaster

DN1 3DA

Doncaster Council

Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

e-mail: FOIAppeals@doncaster.gov.uk

You can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about our compliance or

otherwise with the Freedom of Information legislation. Please contact the Commissioner

for details on how to do this – Telephone: 01625 545700, Address: Information

Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. Website:

http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

Yours sincerely

Trish Wood

FOI Lead Officer

Regeneration Department

positive community in action!

Much fun was had last sunday at The Earth Centre. Many people made light work of our bender building for a better world, everyone got stuck in and the result- a lovely willow and hazel shelter.

A BIG THANKYOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND HELPED

Our community bender is for all to enjoy and we welcome anyone to add to our creation and to come along any sunday to join in the fun.

JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BIG TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

We love the earth centre community was formed as a direct response to the derelict Earth Centre, we share a common interest in seeing the space returned to the people as a community resource, environment and skill share centre and eco village.

Our next public meeting is on tuesday 19th January 2010 at 7pm at the Denaby and Cadeby Miners Welfare Club. All are welcome.

We would like you to share your ideas about the future of the Earth Centre and together as a community we can revive this great space!

Thankyou to all who contributed to a great first meeting

We love the earth centre group thanks everyone that made it to the meeting and those who contributed even though they could not be there. The meeting was really inspiring for those of us who began this campaign and it is appreciated that we're not alone and people are trying. There is an obvious strength of the community in the area and people have genuine concern for their environment and its inhabitants.

The follow up meeting has been arranged for 19th Jan again at 7pm at the Denaby & Cadeby Main Miners Welfare Club (thankyou to the club for having us)

The next meeting will cover ideas and proposals, forming a group and planning positive community actions. All are welcome we look forward to seeing you.

x

Bender building this Sunday at 1pm - all are welcome

Hello,

This sunday 13th dec at 1pm we're going to be constructing a communal area next to the entrance of the earth centre, its gonna be lots of fun bending wood and mucking in to create a cosmic shelter for all. Meet at the welcome point and bring some sticks!

This is a warm up and welcome event leading up to the public meeting to reclaim the earth centre on tuesday 15th dec at Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare. The meeting has been organised by the people for the people in response to the misuse of public funds and neglectful way that the council and the millenium commission handled the earth centre and its many resources. We will reclaim the land and our rights to decide our own futures!

Directions to the Public meeting:
Nearest Train station is a ten minute walk - Conisbrough one stop away from Doncaster

Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare

Tickhill Square, Denaby Main, Doncaster DN12 4AW

01709 862 157
‎

Also the Consibrough Train stop is just outside the Earth Centre so come on down!

Shame on you Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate change

Friday the 27th Nov - Doncaster climate hearing, more like doncaster green wash! This event was organised by oxfam, some very good people attended and its fantastic that local people are addressing issues that we all face and talking about ways to be sustainable, unfortunatley there was 'a wave' of insincerity from a few but this doesn't matter working together does! 

we love the earth centre campaigners went along to pose the question to our mp for climate change and energy -

Why has a multi-million pound sustainable living education centre been left to rot for five years?
Our friend, Mark 'Mozez' Wallis RIP questions miliband - http://www.youtube.com/user/thepixiecrew#p/a/u/1/fpeu5RSyJXo

another reponse from Miliband the climate change spinning nuclear puppet and future prime sinister - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQjtfXqDxi0

From Mr Miliband's response it seemed strange that he showed very little knowledge of the Earth Centre, curious since we've contacted his offices and his colleague, Denaby MP Caroline Flint, neither has responded. Considering Milband's job title you would think that he would have recognised the significance and true potential of this amazing resource and beautiful space. Also you would think that he would be aware that the MOD are looking to aquire a sustainable living education centre in his area, however he is from oxford!!

Local community projects in Denaby struggle to access funding because the Earth Centre swallowed up the quota in the area and this still has reprecusions five years on. Resources were mysteriously flying out of the Earth Centre in the end and we would like to know where they went too as millions were spent on them.

We say reopen the Earth Centre and allow the community to benefit from its resources rather than having to watch the Police and MOD training with guns and dogs and wargame enthusiasts running about with pretend machine guns and smoke screens.

Ed Miliband this is a time for truth, no more greenwash!

Public meeting to decide the future of the Earth Centre all are welcome its to be held at the Denaby and Cadeby Miners Welfare Club, Tuesday 15th Dec at 7pm. Please come and have your say :0)

Public meeting - people unite and have your say!

Public meeting regarding the future of the earth centre and the peoples campaign to reclaim the land and our rights to make decisions on community issues

Tuesday, 15th December 7pm at the Denaby Miners Welfare Club - see you there!

As many local people will know, the Earth Centre, a multimillion pound project funded at huge cost by the public with clear aims to be used as an educational facility for the community, has been squandered and left to rot. It is currently been used by war-game enthusiasts and as training ground for the MOD and the Police, the image of grown men running about shooting each other on children’s playgrounds and in the forest gardens simply makes us sick.

The site was closed down because it was not breaking-even. This was mainly due to the over-reliance on the project being a tourist-mecca, but also the mis-spending of money throughout the project's existence, as vast sums were squandered on consultancy fees and extravagant, unaccountable spending. If the centre had been run with more involvement of local people and less emphasis on money and big corporations, it may not have turned into the white elephant it is today.

Our civilisation is witnessing its own collapse, with new military technology that can cause freak weather patterns and more war and environmental disasters, while world leaders sit negotiating insincere deals to reduce environmental damage worldwide, we strongly feel that a project which demonstrates alternative energy systems that society needs to switch to, at both the regional and household level, is something worth sustaining.

We see the Earth Centre as a world class environmental facility for all to utilise and enjoy. We want this facility open particularly in South Yorkshire as we think that it can make a difference here the most with people given training in new working skills such as the installation of solar-panels, wind generators, ground-source heat pumps and high-tech building solutions.
The Council has refused to hold a public meeting with regards to the future of the Earth Centre. They have blocked requests from local community groups to harvest the fruit and medicinal plants and have effectively turned their backs on this opportunity to safeguard our children's future. We have a duty to them and the planet to encourage the community and the wider public to gain knowledge of the significance of new energy-saving technology and other aspects of sustainable living

The people are holding their own meeting on tuesday 15th december 2009 at 7pm at the denaby main miners welfare club. Please come along and support the campaign to reclaim our rights to decide what happens in our own communities. Have your say, power to the people, together we can make postive change!

Love and respect

Pixies

Proposal for earth centre site to be - uk's centre for climate change

This is for distribution contact thereismore2lifefolks@yahoo.co.uk for a copy

To attendants of the Doncaster Climate Change Hearing,

I would like to take this unique opportunity to propose a new use for Doncaster's
former Earth Centre project at Conisbrough.

The Earth Centre was originally conceived as ‘an exhibition of sustainable development practices and an international centre for related research and education’. Unfortunately, as we all know, the project lost its way and closed down five years ago even though its fortunes had finally begun to change for the better. The site is still home to some of the most advanced sustainable technology currently available (near silent wind turbines, an advanced 'living machine' sanitation system, solar canopy, extensive allotments & forest gardens, etc.), but it is currently being used by a corporate 'war-games' company and as a film set – hardly ideal uses considering the potential that this site and its existing resources has to offer.

I would like to propose that the former 'Earth Centre' should become the UK's 'National Centre for Climate Change'.The location is central to the rest of the UK and a highly sustainable infrastructure already exists. I feel that the former Earth Centre should once again be used as an international research and education facility with 'Climate Change' as its central remit. The main building could be be used for research and development; whereas some of the grounds, gardens and the former shop could be handed over to local community to encourage the development of grass-roots climate change initiatives. I have been working on a more detailed proposal but for the sake of brevity I will not expand on the idea at this time. Hopefully I have said enough to whet your appetite.

Oxfam could invite other major Climate Change charities to support the proposal and North Doncaster MP - and local climate hero - Ed Miliband could liaise with Doncaster Council to save the site from the developers. The fact that the buildings and resources already exist means that a conglomeration of charities could assume joint management of the centre at greatly reduced costs to all involved - as long as the political willpower exists. I firmly believe that a national research, development and educational centre could be of immense benefit to all those concerned with the devastating effects of climate change. I also believe that such a facility could be beneficial to Doncaster. If you feel the same way please get in touch and lets push for real and lasting change in our region.

Kind regards,
Warren Draper

Doncaster Climate hearing - fri 27th nov - lets make some noise

This is pure genius nice one! Doncaster Climate hearing this coming friday meeting details can be found here - http://www.doncastercvs.org.uk/events/eventsitem/120

hope to see as many people there as possible this is a great opportunity the mayor has held private meetings this week about the earth centre our calls for a public meeting have been denied so together we will hold our own details will be announced soon

following letter courtesy of a nice green man.....

Hi,

I am a resident of Doncaster who will, hopefully, be attending the Doncaster Climate Hearing in Bentley on Fri 27th November.

I would like to take the opportunity to put forward a proposal regarding Doncaster's former 'Earth Centre'.

The Earth Centre was originally conceived as ‘an exhibition of sustainable development practices and an international centre for related research and education’. Unfortunately it lost its way and closed down five years ago even though its fortunes had finally begun to change for the better. The site is still home to some of the most advanced sustainable technology currently available (near silent wind turbines, an advanced 'living machine' sanitation system, solar canopy, extensive allotments & forest gardens, etc.), but it is currently being used by a corporate 'war-games' company.

I would like to propose that the former 'Earth Centre' should become the UK's 'National Climate Change Centre'.The location is central to the rest of the UK and a highly sustainable infrastructure already exists. I feel that the Earth Centre should once again be seen as an international research and education facility with 'Climate Change' as its central remit. The main building could be be used for research and development, whereas some of the grounds, gardens and the former shop could be handed over to local community to encourage the development of grass-roots climate change initiatives. - I do have a number of other ideas which can be discussed further if Oxfam decide that they may be able to help :-)

Oxfam could invite other major Climate Change charities to support the proposal and North Doncaster MP - and local climate hero - Ed Miliband could liaise with Doncaster Council to save the site from the developers. The fact that the buildings and resources already exist means that a conglomeration of charities could assume joint management of the centre at greatly reduced costs to all involved - as long as the political willpower exists.

Friday's meeting would seem to provide a unique and opportune moment to put this proposal to the people who can help bring it to fruition. Together lets put the idea forward?

and the freedom of information response (typical)

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 30 October 2009 for information
about the Earth Centre. Please find below Doncaster Council’s response to the questions
you have raised.

1. I would like to know the deadline date for submitting proposals to the DMBC
regarding use of the Earth Centre site.
The Council has not formally invited proposals from interested parties for the Earth Centre and hence a deadline has not yet been set.

2. I would like to know the details of any proposals already submitted regarding the
Earth Centre site.
The Council has received expressions of interest from a number of parties but as stated above the council has not formally invited proposals.

3. I would like to see a copy of the agreement between the Millennium Commission
and DMBC regarding the transfer of ownership of the Earth Centre site.
There was no transfer of ownership to the Millennium Commission. The Council was and still is the freehold owner and granted leases to the Earth Centre; when the EarthCentre entered receivership the leases were disclaimed and vested back to the
Council.

I hope that this information is useful to you.
Reviewing any decisions made:
You can ask us to review any decisions made about your request. You do this by writing
to:
Doncaster Council
Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE
Freedom of Information Manager
Council House
Floor 2
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3DA
e-mail: FOIAppeals@doncaster.gov.uk
You can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about our compliance or
otherwise with the Freedom of Information legislation. Please contact the Commissioner
for details on how to do this – Telephone: 01625 545700, Address: Information
Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Website:
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
Yours sincerely

although the questions could have been worded better this response is just what we expected our intentions are to shed truth on the obligations of the council to maintain the site for educational purposes we urge you to ask more questions everyone is entitled and the truth will out!

People call for a public meeting!

We ask you the people to contact doncaster council and your local community and demand a public meeting regarding the future of the Earth Centre, again the people responsible are trying to exclude us from having any say in what happens to this space. We think that the earth centre should be run as an autonomous community garden and eco village maybe you have your own ideas too but the only way we can ensure that its not lost to corporate greed is to unify and stand up!write to the Mayor, please send your letter/email to:

Peter Davies, The Mayor of Doncaster
Floor 1
Council House
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3AJ

Email: themayor@doncaster.gov.uk
Telephone: 01302 862225
Fax: 01302 862232

This is the letter we recieved from the council.........

Thank you for your recent correspondence in respect of the Earth Centre. The Mayor, Peter Davies, has asked me to respond on his behalf.

Please be assured your continued interest has been noted and I would advise you that the Council has received a number of other expressions of interest. These parties, like you, are also keen that a resolution is reached enabling a move forward. As you will be aware the Council is currently reviewing potential options for the future of the site and will be asking for expressions of interest in the site shortly. All interested parties will be contacted and asked for further details of their proposals.

Whilst writing I would mention that I am aware of your Freedom of Information request which I can also confirm is receiving attention. In addition I am also aware of your recent requests to run an educational workshop for the community on the site and to also pick Ginko leaves. Unfortunately these requests are declined as the Council is unable to permit open access to the general public due to security and indemnity insurance considerations.

I hope this explains the current position and answers your queries.

Yours sincerely,

SCOTT CARDWELL, Assistant Director - Regeneration

And our response is........................................................

Dear Mayor, Scott, Pauline, whom it may concern,

All we want is to pick some leaves at the front entrance why is that such a difficult task when you allow people with pretend guns to run amock allover the childrens play areas and all over valuable plantlife and wildlife spots. The Local Police and your own Neighbourhood Management team offered to help surely this would be sufficient security if you really are concerned.

Scott and The Mayor, I understand that you are new to the earth centre and may not have experienced its value to the community and nature as a whole. If we consider that together we need to raise awareness of Agenda 21 from the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 which is as poignant now as ever, it was the precursor to the Kyoto Summit, focusing our minds towards the important decisions to be made in Copenhagen Summit, this December ‘09. These meetings of world leaders are the evidence that we all need to make changes to the way we live our lives in order to sustain our environment and protect the lives of future generations, animals and our earth. We see the earth centre as a world class environmental facility for all to utilise and enjoy. We want this facility open particularly in South Yorkshire as the area has high unemployment, very low average income, racial tension along with drug and alcohol problems and displaced youth. We think that it can make a difference here the most and it already has a connection with the area. Following our research especially over the last year it is apparent that South Yorkshire does not have sufficient facilities for alternative education and skills. The area has been hit by climate change very recently and many people were affected, they were mostly reliant on local authorities to respond and it is clear that people require knowledge of alternative methods of living that can impact less on the environment and save money.

I request on behalf of the community and the wider world that is aware of the reality of climate change and its social implications, that you hold a public meeting to discuss the future of the earth centre a multimillion pound project paid for by public funds with clear aims to be used as an educational facility for the community.

The public expect a response!

Thank you

Teenage Mutant Nuclear MP

So local MP for Doncaster and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband announces to a undisturbed public that Britain shall have ten new nuclear power plants by 2018.

Tumble weed............

Well as far as we're concerned if you support nuclear you must be stark raving mad, the men responsible for these plans have no concern for the health and survival of this planet or anything on it. It might only be a film but for those of you that have seen 'threads' a film set in sheffield post nuclear disaster you will know the terrifying dangers of these monsterous mutant machines.

How and why are these decisions getting through parliment without any consultation with the people of the land, they have utter disregard for nature and wildlife and the future of our race.

The earth centre is an ideal spot for uniting communities to stand up and have their say, we urge you to take action and stop this greedy regime.

dont despair just do it th'sen

The land at the earth centre has been worked by many hands we remember the miners and their strength in hard times

I have visited your website http://www.freewebs.com/yorkshiremain/ and found it too be a very good guide and particularly enjoyed the documented photo's. I am part of a group that is currently working with the space on top of the former cadeby colliery, the derelict earth centre. As you may know the designers of the earth centre had a hideous party with public funds that saw a small number of already very rich people paid alot of money to create an educational space that they then walked away from and have left to ruin. Its fair to say they pulled a fast one on an already kicked community, the earth centre during the time it was open was used by many locals and also provided a significant number of jobs.

Now derelict for 5 years the council leases it to a wargame company that run about on the childrens play areas shooting each other and the police use the space for training. None of these activities benefit the community or the landscape. The council now plans to sell the site and we are not going to let them. We see that the land belongs to the people and that we have a right to maintain it and use its resources to live a sustainable lifestyle. We aim to reopen its buildings to the community groups and schools that can then benefit from what was once a valuable community resource. With the spirit of the miners that lived it deep in the pits we will not leave this alone and we invite all to show solidarity in this time of political treason and depleting landscape.

Don't despair just Do it th'sen! we welcome you all to meet at the welcome point of the earth centre every sun 1pm we're all very friendly x

amazing school visits

It is a crime to let the earth centre be lost to more greed and destruction, please see

http://www.townfield.doncaster.sch.uk/pages/welcome.htm

huge respect to the school for their outstanding guide to the earth centre

x

too little too late dmbc

doncaster council said today that the fruit was still mostly rotten and they will contact the group to organise a walk around the centre for just one group member sometime soon

we say no way!

apple action

Earlier today a group of activists took apple action and liberated a haul of delicious fruits from the abundant forest gardens at the derelict earth centre. Weeks of meaningless promises and blatant lies from Doncaster Council led the group of harvesters to take action.

This may seem like a small feat but as numbers and support grows the move to reclaim the land at the earth centre is getting closer!

Doncaster council first responded to requests to harvest the fruit three weeks ago they said the fruit was simply too 'rotten and infected by wasps'



After consecutive lies and fobbing off from the local authorities it became clear that action had to be taken, the extent of waste involved in the earth centre scandal goes deep and we are here to expose the truth and heal the wounds of the land



we met with local development trust workers that shared their experiences of the earth centre saga and expressed their dissapointment and frustration at its demise

we want local people to be proud of this space and work together to care for it without the suffocating ties of red tape and greed

we welcome anyone that wants to be involved - reclAim the earth centre!

We now meet every sunday at 1.30pm

hello so that its easier for some people we now meet every sunday at 1.30 at the welcome point near the train station (conisbrough).

our numbers are growing and we welcome anyone that is curious or has ideas about the future of the earth centre

people power!

reclaim the earth centre for the people

meeting every friday at 1pm by the welcome point near the trainstop (conisbrough) come along show your support, share ideas and help return this space to the people

some historical inspiration to us all

The World Turned Upside down (the diggers song)

In 1649
To St. George’s Hill,
A ragged band they called the Diggers
Came to show the people’s will
They defied the landlords
They defied the laws
They were the dispossessed reclaiming what was theirs

We come in peace they said
To dig and sow
We come to work the lands in common
And to make the waste ground grow
This earth divided
We will make whole
So it will be
A common treasury for all

The sin of property
We do disdain
No man has any right to buy and sell
The earth for private gain
By theft and murder
They took the land
Now everywhere the walls
Spring up at their command

They make the laws
To chain us well
The clergy dazzle us with heaven
Or they damn us into hell
We will not worship
The God they serve
The God of greed who feed the rich
While poor folk starve

We work we eat together
We need no swords
We will not bow to the masters
Or pay rent to the lords
Still we are free
Though we are poor
You Diggers all stand up for glory
Stand up now

From the men of property
The orders came
They sent the hired men and troopers
To wipe out the Diggers’ claim
Tear down their cottages
Destroy their corn
They were dispersed
But still the vision lingers on

You poor take courage
You rich take care
This earth was made a common treasury
For everyone to share
All things in common
All people one
We come in peace
The orders came to cut them down

some interesting you tube videos on the earth centre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywfyyFi6xbs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB-4CbgM84o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74CZPGEKRQY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNTKzGCi1LM

peace and love

come along and see for yourself

why not have a mooch to the earth centre there is a train stop (conisbrough) right at the entrance

cross the bridge a public right of way, explore the neighbouring forest, follow the trail to the pennine way and climb the hill for an amazing view of this special place, historic landscape and beautiful wilderness

we meet up every friday at 1pm to do the same so your more than welcome to join our party

power to the people! be the change you want to see.....

together we can do it - reclaim this space for the people of the earth

Forget how much money was wasted, forget the politics and red tape that halts positive flow!

we can return this space to nature, let the wild take hold of it and nuture its resources and our community spirit

unity, solidarity, love and respect ;)

if you have any ideas and want to be involved in any way please comment or contact welovetheearthcentre@gmail.com

'if you think your too small to make a difference try sleeping with a mosquito!'

people unite the earth centre is waiting to be reclaimed

what the hek is going on now????

currently the earth centre is used as a playground for ex military people that fire pellets at each other and carry out wargames

- for those of you that engage in these activities we wish not to offend you we simply want this amazing space to be used by all and for the purpose of empowering people to respect and actively support the health of the earth and all its inhabitants

i hope that you agree and understand why we are campaigning for its return to the people

love and respect

so what was it all about?

The Earth Centre was dreamt up by Jonathan Smales, a former director of Greenpeace
Mr Smales wanted to create an environmental centre that would stimulate the growing interest in the future health of the earth. The centre would be self-sustaining, both ecologically and financially. It would also demonstrate how modern technology and the latest architecture, landscape design and responsible farming could work together to revive a despoiled and redundant industrial landscape.

"We want the Earth Centre to be very much a part of Doncaster and not some exotic bloom," Mr Smales said. "

and they sure went to town with their funding.......

• 80% of building materials were either reclaimed or recycled
• Europe’s largest flat-foot solar installation.1,300m2 canopy containing 250 photovoltaic panels – generating 80,000 KW of electricity per year and would run the systems and the galleries.
• Conference centre constructed largely from reclaimed materials including telegraph poles, crushed concrete, glass and radiators.
• A shop and café area
• 6500m2 black box gallery space conditioned through an underground thermal store called the Labyrinth
• "Living Machine" sewage treatment plant. A local water treatment system processing all waste water coming from Earth Centre toilets, basins and kitchens, operating entirely through biological reactions, using both bacteria and nutrient-demanding tropical plants in the warmth of a greenhouse.
• water management system that incorporates rainwater harvesting and the treatment, storage and recycling of water use in irrigation and water features and as a wildlife habitat.
• 100,000 new trees including 15 acres of willow as well as some ancient woodlands, two rivers and a variety of ecological grasslands and wetlands
• Demonstrations of organic gardening methods, fruit orchards, willow sculptures, forest and bog gardens, and other flower and sculptural gardens

All this and a pirate ship!

Children visited the earth centre as part of their education topic into growing things. Hundreds of local people used the forest gardens and allotments and the earth centre was a space enjoyed by all.

the earth centre closed in 2004

the earth centre went into administration in october 2004, it has remained closed to the public eversince.

recently curious public have been escorted off by armed police! walkers have been met with access denied to the penine way which is situated behind the earth centre and requires you cross a bridge to get to it, they closed the bridge a public right of way!

the mayor at the time martin winter said: "I am determined that the ethos of the earth centre site is preserved for future doncaster generations… I intend to set up an advisory group to help me guide the future of the earth centre site and this will include community and former earth centre trustees."

don valley mp caroline flint said she welcomed confirmation that the Earth Centre would be taken over by doncaster council, saying that the commission would only agree if the council maintained the educational work performed by the centre.

5 years on and the site remains derelict and closed to the public, however the council made sure that at least someone got use of it.......

welcome to the story of the earth centre

the earth centre is an amazing space at denaby main, doncaster, south yorkshire it is built on derelict land left over from former coal pits, it was the ‘museum for the millenium’. Initial plans were for community-led projects and apprentice training. The first stage of that project opened in 1994, including a sustainable aquaculture centre and a community farm.






















In 1995 the Millennium Commission made a massive award to Earth Centre, which became one of its ‘Landmark Millennium projects’. It was redesigned and virtually all existing landscaping and projects were destroyed, which lost the goodwill of the local community who felt excluded from the project.