Q. How much did
Gladedale Homes pay Mr Minter for the land?
A. We understand from Mark Jackson
of Gladedale that they paid 2 million pounds and that this is
as shown on the Land Registry
documents.
Q. What is the total area of Gladedale
land?
A. It is approximately 14 acres
in total, in three blocks – 'North' (fields), 'Riverside',
plus 'Sheds Area' and 'West Area' (woodland). Gladedale treat
the 'Sheds Area and West Area' as separate blocks, but they
are interconnected. They also call the Sheds Area the 'Barns
Area', however, there are no barns on this land just wooden
and concrete sheds used previously for Streatley House Veterinary
College stabling and storage.
Q. How many houses are they planning
to build?
A. This is not yet known for certain
as Gladedale have not yet submitted any planning applications.
However, they stated at their recent exhibition that they currently
propose about 8 to 12 on the land south of the High Street and
none on the land north of the High Street. However, they indicated
at their recent exhibition an Alternative Proposal of more "Affordable
Houses" [by his they mean marginally cheaper- and not Affordable
Social Housing] with a total of 21 units in all.
Q. What is the significance of the
village Settlement Boundary?
A. The Settlement Boundary as defined
in the West Berkshire District Local Plan, is the area within
which residential and other urban types of development (such
as shops, offices etc) can be permitted to be constructed provided
they are generally acceptable and in keeping with the character
of the village.
Under current planning policy, no such residential or urban
development is permitted outside of the Settlement Boundary
except under 'exceptional circumstances'. 'Exceptional circumstances'
are very limited and are categorised in the West Berkshire Council
Local Plan (Policy HSG.2). They include for example 'dwellings
for agricultural workers' or a 'one for one replacement of a
long established building'.
Settlement Boundaries are in place to help contain urban or
residential "sprawl" and to help manage and retain
the rural nature of the area. Even a small number of houses
permitted outside the Settlement Boundary would create a precedent
and then subsequently Gladedale and others would be able to
apply for other developments outside the boundary and near to
the village. Within a few years the total character of the village
could be changed forever.
Q. Are the Gladedale blocks of land
inside or outside of the Settlement Boundary?
A. They are all outside
of the Settlement Boundary. We have been informed by the planning
department of West Berks that under current planning policy,
any development application on the land in question is likely
to be disallowed.
Q. Who has organised the petition opposing
Gladedale's proposals?
A. A group of residents who were
concerned that official bodies such as the Parish Council are
not able to publicly comment or react until an actual planning
application has been made. These residents felt that waiting
for an application may be too late to properly mobilise residents'
opinions. Also it was in response to Gladedale themselves hiring
the Green Issues lobbying company to gauge and influence local
opinion ahead of any formal application.
The group headed by Ivan Scott, Alan Law, Robert Stokes, Fergus
Brownlee, Rolf Fyne and others is now incorporated as the Streatley
Preservation Action Group (SPAG), and are working jointly with
the Goring and Streatley Amenity Association on matters concerning
local development such as the Gladedale proposals.
Q. What makes you think
a residents group such as SPAG can make any difference? Isn't
the decision already made, or as good as made behind "closed
doors"?
A. The opinion of a significant
majority of local residents will always have a major bearing
and weight to be taken into account during the approval process.
Even Green Issues say so on their web site. So it is important
that the so called "silent majority" be heard in order
to retain the essential character and charm of Streatley and
the surrounding area. Green Issues will attempt to maximise
supporters - we have to maximise opponents who are willing to
write to voice their opposition. We have spoken to local planning
officers and also to local politicians and we are confident
the process will be fully open and transparent. With everyone's
help we will work to ensure it is so.
Q. Can't the deputy
Prime Minister's Office overrule the decision of a local planning
committee?
A.
Yes it can, however this is only likely at the end of a lengthy
appeals process and again most politicians take into account
what the majority of residents say, especially if it is an overwhelming
majority. Also, such interventions are more usually (but not
always) made where large numbers of low cost affordable urban
developments are involved.
Q. I live on the edge
of Streatley well away from the land concerned, why should I
be concerned?
A.
If you wish to ensure the essential character of Streatley is
retained, with its views of hills, meadows and river, commensurate
with its status as being within an area of outstanding natural
beauty, then you should be concerned with any plans to develop
outside of the current Settlement Boundary.
Q. We live in a designated
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, part of the Gladedale lands
are in a Conservation Area and the land also abuts a number
of Listed Buildings in the High Street. What makes Gladedale
think they can get planning permission for any developments?
A. We don't know. All planners and
advisors we have spoken to make the same point as your question.
We do know that Gladedale via Green issues are attempting to
gather a number of supporters for their plans by inducing residents
and interested bodies with offers to allocate land for a village
green, car parking, playground or riverside parkland, in exchange
for their support. These are all well known tactics boasted
about on the Green Issues web site (see case studies), as a
means to garner support for what would otherwise be unpopular
developments. The key is the developer does not care about such
amenities. They are simply factored into the overall costs so
that he can build his houses and make money. However remember,
in doing so, he starts to substantially and irrevocably change
the character of the village we all love.
Q. How can I help? How can I become
involved?
A.
There are many ways individuals can help. The most important
way will be to object by writing to West Berkshire planning
department and to Streatley Parish Council once a planning application
has been submitted by Gladedale. As timing is important in the
planning approvals process, we will help to keep you informed
in a timely manner via this web site, door to door leaflets
and via the Goring Gap News. Note: we would be grateful if any
correspondence is copied to ourselves and the Streatley Parish
Council.
We also need additional help to distribute leaflets etc. If
you can help please contact us.
Web sites such as this and leaflet production all cost money.
So if you can, please donate, (fighting
fund) write a cheque (made out to 'STOP Gladedale') or send
cash to any of the SPAG members. No amount is too small. |
