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SEERA defend their strategy for the South East |
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Press Release Monday, 23 April 2007
From the Stop Dunsfold Park New Town campaign
SEERA defend their strategy for the South East
A new settlement at Dunsfold Park is "not a runner" and “is simply in the middle of nowhere” says SEERA’s Planning Strategy Director.
At the recent hearing in Reading Town Hall, Ian McDonald, Dunsfold Park Ltd’s strategic planning advisor, pressed the Government appointed panel of Inspectors examining the draft South East Plan to change the strategy to allow a new settlement of 2,600 homes at Dunsfold Aerodrome.
Mr McDonald said that Dunsfold Park Ltd had a vision of a national exemplar of sustainable development. He emphasised that although there is space on the site for 5,000 homes their proposal was for only 2,600. The company had not “gone in any opportunistic fashion for maximum development”.
On behalf of the Stop Dunsfold Park New Town campaign, Godalming based Town Planner Colin Meade, told the Panel that however much the scheme is dressed up with bio-mass and eco-friendly systems it is quite simply in the wrong location. The road network in the area is poor and there is little public transport. The site is almost ring-fenced by the Area of Great Landscape Value and it has Sites of Special Scientific Interest and other ecologically sensitive areas around it.
In summing up at the end of the session, Catriona Riddell, the Planning Strategy Director of the South East England Regional Assembly, defended the Assembly’s spatial strategy in the plan. She agreed with the Stop Dunsfold Park New Town campaign that a new settlement at Dunsfold Park would be in the wrong location.
Ms Riddell emphasised that the proposed settlement “simply doesn’t stack up in terms of the spatial strategy”. “It’s not even close to a main urban settlement, it is simply in the middle of nowhere”. “It’s not a runner as far as the Assembly’s concerned.”
End.
Contact -
Barry Myers – Chairman, Stop Dunsfold Park New Town campaign
SDPNT Ltd
Boundless Farm
Boundless Road
Brook
Nr Godalming
Surrey GU8 5LF
Telephone 01428 683077
Notes:
1. South East Regional Assembly (“SEERA”)
The South East Plan has been prepared by the South East England Regional Assembly. The Assembly is made up of 112 members. 75 members are councillors from the region’s county, district and unitary councils. The remaining 37 members represent the economic, environmental, social and voluntary sectors in the region.
The Assembly’s three main roles are:
advocacy – being a representative voice for the region
accountability – ensuring accountability of the South East England Economic Development Agency
regional planning – delivering strategic planning for the region.
See the Assembly’s website –www.southeast-ra.gov.uk
2. Examination in Public
After the plan had been drafted by the Assembly an “Examination in Public” was carried out by an independent body appointed by the Government, a panel of three inspectors –
Corinne Swain OBE
Martin Shaw OBE
Mary Travers
The four months of hearings ended on 30 March 2007. The panel will now consider all the evidence and is expected to publish a report to the Government in summer 2007 setting out any changes it thinks should be made to the Plan.
For more information see the Examination in Public of the Draft South East Plan website – www.eipsoutheast.co.uk
3. Session 9E.1 hearing on 28 March 2007
Session 9E.1 of the hearings, which included Dunsfold Park Ltd’s proposal for a new settlement, was held on the afternoon of Wednesday, 28 March 2007 at The Concert Hall, Reading Town Hall, Reading –
9E.1 Does the draft RSS take proper account of the capacity of towns/locations in Waverley, rest of Guildford, Mole Valley, and Tandridge, and rest of West Berkshire for sustainable development (including Policy H1)? If not, how would any additional growth here impact on the Gatwick, London Fringe and Western Corridor Blackwater Valley sub-regional strategies?
[“RSS” = Regional Spatial Strategy]
4. Transcript of hearing
A transcript of that part of the hearing of Session 9E.1 which dealt with a proposed new settlement at Dunsfold Park will shortly be available on request from SDPNT Ltd. Please let the sender of this press release know if you would like a copy.
5. Catriona Riddell
Catriona Riddell, the Planning Strategy Director, led SEERA’s representation at the hearing of Session 9E.1 of the Examination in Public on 28 March. Her contact details are –
South East England Regional Assembly
Berkely House
Cross Lanes
Guildford GU1 1UN
Email:
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Tel: 01483 555200 |
