HANDS OFF HEMPSTED CAMPAIGN Newsletter 2 May 2013

HANDS OFF HEMPSTED CAMPAIGN Newsletter 2 – May 2013

Hello again. Welcome to the ‘Hands Off Hempsted’ Campaign.

The first newsletter gave you quite a detailed planning history about the pressures to build on the fields to the east of Hempsted Lane and the reasons why they have been protected for so long. This newsletter summarises the actions that you have already taken in the Campaign, lists some of the ‘Planning’ reasons which back up the arguments against the proposed development and lists what further actions you can still take.

ACTIONS ALREADY TAKEN BY CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS

Well many people have either emailed me direct or participated in the Facebook Campaign, raising more interesting issues: Here’s just a few of the things you have suggested, found out or done:

The Gloucestershire Orchard Trust contacted re.the importance of old orchard.
The Sylvanus Lysons Trust has tried to gain planning permission before, but was thwarted by the policy on protected views from Hempsted Lane towards the Cotswold Escarpment and Robinswood Hill.
Views now largely blocked bytree planting but City Council not willing to do anything or get involved. Read the policy at:

http://www.gloucester.gov.uk/Documents/councilservices/Planning/localplan/SupplementaryPlanningDocument/SPGVIEWSOFROBINSWOOD1.pdf

‘Hempsted Conservation Area Appraisal & Management Proposals’ provides an excellent analysis of why the fields east of Hempsted Lane are so important to the rural character of the village and setting of the conservation area. Paragraph 9.2 is a must read.

https://www.gloucester.gov.uk/Documents/councilservices/Planning/ConservationTeam/caappraisals/Hempsted%20CA%20Sep%2007.pdf

The Sylvanus Lysons Trust should be encouraged to ‘lay’ the trees, in order to embrace traditional hedge methods, preserve and important habitat for wildlife, and reopen the views back towards the hills.
The village lacks infrastructure to support any new housing. No doctors, no dentists, and a village school that is so oversubscribed that children living 200 yards away can’t get a place. Also the increase in traffic following new development.

Article about Campaign in the ‘Citizen’. This helps raise our profile.
Offer to print publicity material at cost price. We have already taken up this offer and a ‘flyer’ to be delivered throughout Hempsted has been printed.
Financial contributions totalling £70 which will pay for the ‘flyer’.Many thanks to all contributors. We now have a ‘Treasurer’ - thanks to Trudi Dyer for volunteering.
Many volunteers to deliver the ‘flyer’.I make it at least 11 so far + the Keates!

Give yourselves a big pat on the back for all your fantastic efforts and there’s a big THANK YOU from all of us. And special thanks to Kate Keates who started and set up the Facebook Campaign.

The next big event is the Council’s City Plan consultation event at HEMPSTED VILLAGE HALL on TUESDAY 4TH JUNE from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Attend at any time during the event and make your views known to the Council.

By the way, want to know more about the history of Hempsted? Then try this link:

PLANNING POINTS YOU COULD RAISE AT THE CONSULTATION EVENT and/or WHEN YOU SEND IN COMMENTS ON THE CITY PLAN:

1. Since the 1990s the Council has recognised that the importance of the fields to the north east of Manor Farm to the rural village character and identity of Hempsted is such that they should not be allocated for development. For many yearsThe Council has protected the fields by designating them as a ‘Landscape Conservation Area’. Nothing has changed.

2. The old part of Hempsted is a designated Conservation Area and the Council adopted the ‘Hempsted Conservation Area Appraisal & Management Proposals’ in 2007. Paragraph 9.2 of the document (see link above) states:

‘Fields on both sides of Hempsted Lane are critically important to the setting of the conservation area. They help to preserve the sense of separation from Gloucester, to maintain the green and rural character of the village, and they protect important views.’

The Council have completely ignored the existing landscape and heritage policy constraints and no new landscape and heritage surveys have been carried out on the site to show anything has changed since the 1990s.

3. Why are the Council proposing to sacrifice valuable open fields in Gloucester in order to offset greater use of the Green Belt elsewhere? Their mandate is surely to provide a quality environment for the residents of Gloucester. This type of trade-off is unacceptable to the residents of the City of Gloucester and should not even be considered.

In will mean more ‘Town Cramming’ in Gloucester using up the little open land that remains in order to reduce development in other areas outside of Gloucester. There is only a limited and finite supply of open, valued land in Gloucester and it should be retained, especially at Hempsted where its value has been recognised by the Council for many years.

4.The Council’s own interpretation/information board along the footpath link from ‘Hempsted Lane’ to ‘The Gallop’s highlights the importance of the site. It describes - the old ridge and furrow farming system, remnants of which are clearly visible; the views toward Gloucester Cathedral and of the industrial heritage of the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal; the old orchard trees and mistletoe; These fields are a valuable educational resource as well as of great importance to keeping the rural character of the village.

5. In 1996 the Council introduced a supplementary planning policy to preserve important views of Robinswood Hill and other high ground as seen from Hempsted Lane. A hedgerow has been planted along this boundary which has spoilt this view but in winter it is still apparent that there is an open view unhindered by housing development and the view can still be seen clearly from the farm gate adjacent to Manor Farm House. If housing were built, what is to stop the developer or residents reducing the height of, or felling the hedgerow so new residents would have a view toward Newark Farm and beyond to the Malvern Hills? This would be perverse!

6. Why did the Council allow Bruton Knowles (BK) Property Consultants to serve on the 2012 StrategicHousingLand Availability Assessment (SHLAA) Panel when it considered whether the land east of Hempsted Lane should be developed for housing? Bruton Knowles are acting as agents for the Sylvanus Lysons Trust (SLT)? If they were acting as agents for SLT at the time of the SHLAA then there is clearly a conflict of interests.

7. Why didn’t the Council raise the very important landscape/ conservation issues and policies and why was there no landscape/conservation officer present at the SHLAA meeting?

8. Why was it said at the SHLAA that ‘landscape and heritage constraints can be overcome with careful consideration’ when the existing landscape and heritage policy constraints were completely ignored and no new landscape and heritage surveys had been carried out on the site to show anything had changed? In other words there was no evidence produced to show that the landscape and heritage constraints could be overcome.

9. Why have the Council carried out an SHLAA which is little more than a ‘Developers’ Charter’ done in a way which is contrary to Government Guidance on SHLAAs. The Council have not followed guidance on page 16, paragraph 38 headed ‘Stage 7a: Assessing suitability for housing’ which says it should consider policy restrictions (such as our Landscape Conservation Area policy) and the effect upon landscape features and conservation. To view the guidance see:

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11500/399267.pdf

10. City Plan 2011 Consultation (this amends and corrects information given in Newsletter 1):

During the public consultation at the initial stages of the City Plan preparation in 2011, the Land to the East of Hempsted Lane was suggested for housing development probably by the owners or their agents (see pages 105 and 108 of the 10th November Planning Policy Sub Committee report – follow link below). http://democracy.gloucester.gov.uk/documents/g4947/Public%20reports%20pack%2010th-Nov-2011%2016.00%20Planning%20Policy%20Sub%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The report summaries the representations made by the land owners/developers (not the Council’s words as I said in HOH Newsletter 1). Their view as summarised in the report is that ‘the Landscape Character Area and Prime Biodiversity designations are not considered reasons to prevent development of the area’. Well they would say that wouldn’t they?

The land owners/developers view was then reiterated at the Hempsted Community Consultation Event (page 143-144). Options for development were put forward by the Council and of the 9 responses given, 7 supported the no development option (option 1) and only 1 gave a qualified support for development on Land East of Hempsted Lane (option 3). The qualified support even suggested a village referendum! (See also pages 137-138 which also set out residents’ concerns). I think we can muster more than 7 against development this time, don’t you?

This report seemed to be the watershed to the Council changing its mind from protecting the fields east of Hempsted Lane to developing them. So why did the Council just ignore the results of their own consultation (where most people opposed the development) and is still listing the site as a development opportunity and is even working with the Hempsted Residents Association and agents promoting the site on a masterplan?

11. If there are Hempsted Residents Association (HRA) Committee Members at the Council’s Consultation Event on the 4th June then ask them:

Why, as stated by the Council, has the HRA been working on a masterplan for the site with the Counciland agents promoting the site? Why does the HRA appear to have conceded the principal of housing development on the site subject to various conditions and provision of some public open space? This despite the Association’s well publicised motto of ‘jealously guarding all our open spaces.’

I understand the HRA are or will be preparing a NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN for Hempsted in line with Government Planning Legislation. Will it still be proposing residential development on the land east of Hempsted Lane in that Plan? Find out about Neighbourhood Plans at www.planningportal.gov.uk/inyourarea/neighbourhood

The Neighbourhood Development Plan could carry a lot of weight in deciding what is or is not allowed for development in Hempsted. We need to be involved in this and the best way is to be a Member of the HRA. So join the HRA and influence what goes in the Neighbourhood Development Plan.

OTHER ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE

1. You have already provided fantastic support for the HANDS OFF HEMPSTED CAMPAIGN by putting forward ideas through discussion; volunteering to deliver leaflets; and making financial contributions to the Campaign. Keep this going. We need to keep the campaign buzzing between now and the close of the City Plan consultation period on the 12th July and then continue to try to influence Members of the Council’s Planning Policy Sub Committee who will decide whether to reject or allocate the site for housing.

2. Help deliver the flyer so that all local residents can be made aware of the Council proposals.

3.Let other residents know about the campaign and give them the campaign email address and link to the Facebook Campaign. Forward the newsletter to them and ask them to contact me so I can assess our level of support;

4. Contact your local councillors to explain your concerns about these proposals and the way they have come about:

Councillor Paul Toleman: email Tel. 01452422274

Councillor Pam Tracey: email Tel. 01452413497 ;

5. Contact Hempsted Residents Association HRA to try to persuade the Association to fight against the principle of residential development on these fields.

HRA Contacts:

Chairman: Richard Trelfa: email Tel. 01452 304116

Secretary, Don Stockwell: email Tel 01452 524654 ;

6. Attend the City Council’s consultation event at HEMPSTED VILLAGE HALL on TUESDAY 4TH JUNE from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Make your voice heard. If you cannot attend, I would be pleased to pass on your objections to Council officers at the event. Jot them down, include your name and address, and drop the letter to either myself at Manor Farm House, or Trudie Dyer at 100 Hempsted Lane; and, most importantly:

7.Comment on the City Plan by the 12th July deadline. Follow links at: www.gloucester.gov.uk/cityplan

Whatever you do, please be polite no matter how angry you may feel. This will help gain respect for the campaign.

Best Wishes from Kevin Keates and helpers!

HANDS OFF HEMPSTED CAMPAIGN Email: