green & pleasant Thornbury

Update Following the Exploratory Meeting by the Planning Inspector

This meeting is meant to be reported on the South Glos website, but at last visit, nothing was yet posted. South Gloucestershire Planners were presented with a legal challenge to the Core Strategy by barristers from Brittell. Apparently South Glos did not follow proper procedures relating to presenting the public with correct information at the timings laid down in statute. We certainly knew things were not right here in Thornbury – no Sustainability Appraisal appeared until May 2010 and then it was only partially completed. In fact we were not given a more complete version until AFTER the consultation period ended! And we can go on.......

The Planning Inspector referred to a legal case recently between ‘Save Historic Newmarket’ and Forest Heath District Council which concluded that the Council’s Core Strategy was flawed because it had not tested it’s ‘strategic’ (preferred) site option adequately against all other reasonable alternatives. We certainly feel this is also the case in Thornbury...

On top of all this, the main reason for Park Farm being the ‘preferred’ option is undoubtedly because of the benefits The Castle School were meant to receive as a result. We have evidence that this is now not going to be realised – so there is no real basis for a Park Farm development anymore. It certainly isn’t the most Sustainable option in terms of accessibility, heritage, landscape or flooding, and anyway, where exactly is all that evidence about needing 500 new homes in Thornbury?

So, the Planning Inspector has 4 choices –

(i) Throw out the Core Strategy due to Unsoundness & resubmit when ready (could be a year or more)

(ii) Suspend/delay the CS for up to 6 months to allow for further work/amendments

(iii) Proceed with the Enquiry in Public, but with some changes to the CS being necessary

(iv) All seems ok to proceed with Enquiry.

The Inspector will make his decision in about 10 days time, meanwhile we are thinking it could be option (ii) which is most likely, although (i) isn’t out of the question!

Meanwhile, it’s worth reading through the current Local Development Framework http://www.southglos.gov.uk/NR/exeres/5cf44123-5099-4865-87c1-8c9cbc8ffac0 which is what development/planning decisions will be based on until 2012 without a new CS in place.

WHAT IS THE PRIORITY FOR US ALL NOW?

Please send in your objections to the Planning Application for 500 homes on Park Farm by Friday 8^th July

If you check the list of documents already submitted relating to the planning aplication, (CLICK HERE) you will find some samples of letters/objections already made by members of the public (Listed as Consultation Replies). Please try to modify your own statements to give a personal look to them.

(Details of how to do this are in the previous posting) Send to PlanningApplications@southglos.gov.uk

It is also not too late, if you haven't already, to make an objection to Thornbury Town Council, who have delayed their own decision-making until Tuesday 12th July. Even better, come along to the Town Hall and make your objection in person! You have the right to be heard for up to five minutes.