The Biggleswade Town Council decided to appeal after a discussion behind closed doors on the 21st June. The Council were not unanimous in its decision.
The start date of the appeal - The Planning Appeal was validated and accepted by the Planning Inspectorate on the 5th July 2011.
On the 10th July 2011 I emailed the Planning Inspectorate:
For the attention of Darren Cryer
I will be commenting on the appeal as an interested party, by the deadline of 16th August 2011, but in the meantime I would like to draw your attention to some “technicalities” with the Biggleswade Town Council appeal documents.
Online Appeal Document -
A. Appellant Details – The name of the person(s) making the appeal must appear as an applicant on the planning application form.
Mr R McGregor does not appear on the original application.
L. Check sign & date.
Signed on behalf of Mr R McGregor. If “A” above is wrong then “L” is.
I received a swift response:
The Local Planning Authority and the appellant have been contacted regarding the name of the appellant. They have been told that as the name Biggleswade Town Council appears on the application form the appeal will continue in the name of Biggleswade Town Council and not Mr R McGregor.
Many thanks - Darren Cryer
Completed Questionnaires - Both Biggleswade Town Council and Central Bedfordshire had to answer a number of questions, concerning details of the site etc, by 19th July 2011.
Interested Parties Comments - On the 6th July 2011, Central Bedfordshire sent out letters to interested parties and organisations that had shown an interest or commented before on the original application. These comments must be with the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol by 16th August 2011. If you have any further comments to make then you should send three copies to:
Planning Inspectorate
3/13a Eagle Wing
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
BRISTOL
BS1 6PN
Reference: APP/P0240/A/11/2155625
The case officer is Darren Cryer
You can contact Customer Support Line on 0117 372 6372
You can e-mail the Case Officer at teamp1@pins.gsi.gov.uk
The Hearing - Previously interested parties have been sent a letter by Central Bedfordshire dated 19th July 2011 to advise that the one day hearing will start at 10.00 am on Wednesday 12th October 2011, at Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Bedfordshire AG17 5TQ. You may attend the hearing and at the Secretary of State's Inspectors discretion be allowed to make your views known.
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When I read in the Chronicle today (22nd July 2011), the comments made by Mayor, Councillor Tim Woodward, the well worn expression "they still don't get it" comes to mind.
Biggleswade Town Council has so far spent over £50,000 of our money, and there will be additional expenditure for the appeal, including legal representation, that they are going to employ, to argue their case. They are apparently concerned that if the project does not go ahead the land could be sold to developers. Even if permission is granted, CBC own the land and to a large extent they can do what they like with it. It will just be worth more. Options are limited though as it is outside of the Local Development Framework.
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All of the Appeal Documents are available at:
If the TC wins the appeal it will mean that permission is being granted to ignore the Local Development Framework with a development. What is the point of having an LDF if even a council thinks it can ride roughshod over it?
ReplyDeleteWill this not tend to be an invitation to a housing developer to submit an alternative outline planning application? After all, if one can get round the controls then why not someone else?
Should such a developer be successful then, faced with a higher value being attributed to the land, CBC would have no option but to consider an offer from such a housing developer? After it is CBC's responsibility to secure the best possible price for whatever they sell - there can be no favour.
What has changed with the application that would make it approved this time around? All reasons given for throwing it out last time surely still stand?
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand why the town council seems to think it's up to them to pursue the 'protection' of this land - which I hear they don't even own. There are far more important things they should be spending our money on.
ReplyDeleteBut they know best, apparently - despite the results of the recent Town Plan survey of residents' wishes.
In fact, there ought be a Town Referendum over this issue - is the Town Council acting in the residents' best interests by spending so much money on this?
Is this possible?
In reply to the above comment - the answer appears to be 'Yes' - under Schedule 12, Part III, para.18(4) and (5) at page 2275 of the Local Government Act (1972) - Parish / Town Referendum
ReplyDeleteI found this while Googling:
http://www.planet-thanet.fsnet.co.uk/parish_referendums.htm
is a webpage that sets out a timetable and list of actions in order to call a meeting to vote on whether or not to hold a referendum.
There are certain notices that need to be served and a timetable that must be followed but these are all listed with sample wording and it seems fairly straightforward.
You need 6 electors to call a Parish Meeting to discuss and at least 10 electors (or 1/3rd of those present) voting in favour for a referendum to go ahead.
Maybe something to look at further?