About Us

Who Are The Fields Association?

The Fields Association is a residents’ association run by a group of volunteers from local communities, formed to respond to inappropriate and unsympathetic overdevelopment of the North Essex countryside.

What is “Stop Wethersfield Airfield Prisons” (SWAP)

SWAP is a campaign run by The Fields Association to address the Mega Prisons proposal at Wethersfield airfield. The Aim of this campaign is to prevent inappropriate and unsuitable development of the Airfield, and find ways to develop the site that is keeping with the local area.

 

Aims of the Association:

1. To promote and preserve the beauty of the North Essex countryside for future generations.

2. To make the wider population more aware of the ecology, history and environment of North Essex.

3. To protect the North Essex countryside from inappropriate development which could devastate a wide area of precious, irreplaceable environment for ever.

4. To promote ecologically sustainable projects to enhance the North Essex countryside for the benefit of the wider population of Essex and the UK.

5. In particular, to oppose insensitive, inconsiderate and massive development of the Wethersfield Airfield site in favour of projects which will bring ecologically sustainable benefit to the community of Essex as a whole.

 

  • No, absolutely not. The Fields Association is a community based residents association that is working alongside and in alignment with the Parish Councils to address this threat to our community.

    SWAP (Stop Wethersfield Airfield Prisons) is our campaign to stop these mega prisons, and find alternative uses for the site, which is precisely the same goal as the parish councils. We want to see alternatives that are in keeping with the local area as well as global, environmental initiatives outlined in COP26.

  • In September 2021, the Ministry of Justice announced their plans for two mega prisons in Wethersfield and published their consultation document.

    After digesting the proposal, assessing the significant impact on the area and consulting their parishioners, thirteen Parish Councils (including Finchingfield, Wethersfield, Shalford, Toppesfield, Great Bardfield, The Salings, Great Yeldham, Gosfield, Sible Hedingham, Castle Hedingham, Ridgewell, Helions Bumpstead and Little Bardfield) formally opposed the prison plans, and joined together to form the Wethersfield Airfield Scrutiny Committee (WASC).

    WASC is a newly formed, knowledgeable and dedicated working group that represents those Parish Councils on this matter, and it needs fast moving, people facing support, which is where we come in!

    As a residents association, we are a part of the community and can take action day to day to make sure the people living in our villages, across the UK as well as those overseas who have connections with this area, are aware of the situation and can have their say.

  • Yes, you can. Please visit the contact form page here and click on the “join the community button”.