High Profile Battle Brewing Between Shakespeare Lovers and Developers

“Not In My Back Yard” or NIMBY is a modern phrase that most of us have heard of, and a battle is brewing between of all people the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and local developers in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

For the back yard in question, is not just any old back yard, it is Anne Hathaway's back yard. Anne (1556 – 1623) was better known as Mrs. William Shakespeare, and they were married in 1582. Although older than William by about eight years, she outlived him by a further seven years.

It is very likely that Anne was born in the cottage, the daughter of a yeoman farmer, and the property is obviously one of the jewels in the crown of the Birthplace Trust. The government has given the go ahead for up to 800 homes to be built near the cottage in Shottery.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is against the proposals and has taken its appeal to the High Court. The plans include a primary school, a health centre and shops and were given the green light by the government following a public local inquiry.

The inquiry came about after developers Bloor Homes and Hallam Land Management appealed against the district council's original decision to oppose the plans. Some of the land earmarked for development close to the childhood home of William Shakespeare's wife is owned by the trust.

Mr Richard Hyde, the deputy chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust said: "We looked at whether this application harmed or benefitted the cottage, the garden and the environment and we concluded that it actually harmed it and therefore we objected.

"We went through quite a careful process, weighed up all the evidence and concluded that to fulfil our charitable objectives we had to object, we did object and we are still objecting."

Mr Hyde said any decision over whether to eventually sell could be taken out of their hands because of "compulsory purchase powers".

The Trust is responsible for amongst other things for the care of Shakespeare's Birthplace, Nash's House and New Place, Mary Arden's Farm and Hall's Croft.

Showing us that it is not downhearted by the turn of events, Anne Hathaway's Cottage is putting its best Christmas face on this coming weekend, when on 1st December (1.30 to 3.30) it will host an event entitled “A Dickens Of A Do” allowing you to enjoy a true Christmas atmosphere in the gardens with carols and readings from “A Christmas Carol” to celebrate the bicentenary of Dickens's birth.