Protect 'my Village' Greenbelt

[albaqwerty]

I'm not divulging my village.

Had a leaflet this evening, about proposed residential properties being built on 2 fields reasonably close to me.
Apparently, the initial consultation period ended on 25th February and this is the first we've heard of it at this end of the village.
Surely if it was that important to the objectors, they would have canvassed more support beforehand?

[boxtops]

I'd have thought so - planning applications also have to be posted near the site for a specific period of time beforehand, they litter the lamp posts round here at the moment.

[albaqwerty]

The objectors have a bit of a reputation at this end of being Nimby's.
One household was about 30ft short of the free school bus limit so 'they' all got up in arms about it. I did point out that mother didn't start work til 10 am and finished at 2pm and they were a 2 ar family so I'm not liked very much :-D

[FredPuli43]

Yes,and villages were supposed to take some soundings of local opinion, to discover what the housing need, if any , was, in their parish(es). This was something of an informal requirement but desirable to give weight to any proposals. We did it by establishing a committee of both our adjacent villages, only one member of which was a parish councillor, and asking it to put forward proposals after making enquiries and hearing representations at open meetings.

Underlying this was the government's request that we decide whether we wanted no extension of the present village boundaries, a defined, precise, extension, or an extension in general terms of any boundary anywhere. We settled for one defined site outside and recommended that two others, inside but previously rejected by the County Council, be considered and said that our need was for about 50 houses, particularly smaller units suitable for older residents who wished to downsize without leaving the villages.

[naomi24]

Something not quite right here. My first question would be to the Parish Council. Why weren't you informed of the proposals, asked for your opinion, and given the opportunity to offer it?

[FredPuli43]

Indeed, naomi, every planning application must be brought before the Parish Council for its consideration and approval, approval with recommended modifications, or rejection. That applies now and has for many years. And the Council publishes that the application has been received, that it will be considered at a meeting and when, and the result. And, of course, notice of the application must be given, by the County Council, to all residents who may be affected by it and a notice displayed publicly.

Alba's case is apparently one under the procedure described in my post above, for proposed scheduling of sites for consideration..

[askyourgran]

The consultation period should have been announced in the local press, one or more local newspaper. Usually the villagers get together with maybe a local councillor to discuss any concerns and put forward their (separate) objections, extra traffic local services etc, which must be considered either by the local planning committee or the Dept of the Environment whoever issued the proposals, which may call for an Inquiry. If you think something has been suppressed you should write to them now and set out your greivance asking for more time to consider. I would have thought building on green belt would have caused some concern among the local people.

[lady-janine]

i think you have the right to proceed and make enquiries about this. surely the whole village should have been consulted and lots of leaflets all over the place both about the building and the objectors.

worth pursuing i would have thought. good luck.