The campaign started on the 28 October 2005 when a few residents in Talbot Road received a letter from the council informing them of a proposed Planning Application on the site of the old Electricity Works. Other residents in Hamilton Road saw a planning application notice on the board outside Waitrose and later one was put on a lamppost at the top of their road.
After immediately viewing the plans at the council offices and on the council planning website, residents in Talbot Road quickly declared themselves an action group – Talbot Road Action Committee – T.R.A.C. to get a campaign started.
The plans showed a huge development (Hamilton Lofts) on the site of 37 Hamilton Road (electricity works). The design was over large and inappropriate for the area with a total of 29 units, 6 live/work units and only 34 car parking spaces and those mostly in an underground car park. The plan would entail demolishing all but one of the Victorian buildings.