News
The Committee have recently begun updating the website after a period of little website activity. From January 2008 the Committee’s aim is to place more emphasis on the website as a source of information about the CCA, and what we aim to do for the future. One new initiative is the link to Local Services which will aim to notify what our members can do for each other, articles and services available for other members.
Meanwhile The Chantry Community Association will continue to distribute a hard copy newsletter two or three times a year. Here are some recent topics covered:
If you would like to publicise an event of association of community value, then please feel free to use our newsletter. It is distributed to around 1500 households. For more information, please contact David Hogden on B/S 656151.
School Moves - Planning Application
The
planning applications are now available for inspection at the town council
office. The documents fill four large boxes. There are six applications as
follows
3/08/1101 Beldams Lane 180 dwellings
3/08/1102 Warwick Road 125 dwellings
3/08/1103 High School 220 dwellings
3/08/1115)
3/08/1116) Hadham Road 250 or 165 dwellings (the smaller application being a
contingency in case the area of the site used for sports purposes
is not
released in time).
3/08/1117 New schools at Whittington Way
The official date for replies is 31 July 2008, but EHDC have agreed that they
will take delivery of comments up to 19 September for inclusion in the officers
report for a special meeting planned for 16 October.
This planning application is going to have a multi layered effect on the town as a whole. The particular proposal is categorically not just an educational issue.
The Bishop's Stortford Civic Federation (BSCF) has been leading the way in explaining the full extent of the development and its aftermath and calls on individual members to register your concerns during the application process.
Here are the likely risks of this application, and furthermore a perfectly suitable alternative site which is available to the planners, which will deliver for future parents and children, just as many free secondary school places as is undoubtedly required by our town, and is positively supported by BSCF :
· The application contradicts National Planning legislation (PPG 2) which prohibits Green Belt development except in exceptional circumstances
· The Inspector’s conclusion into EHDC Local Plan Review of 2007 rejected the EHDC policy proposed (BIS 24) to remove Whittington Way site from Green Belt to allow for school development
· The existing 2 schools are under no compulsion to move and provide very good education as they are
· The move per se will not improve the quality of education being delivered. Economies of scale are usually offset against bureaucratic inefficiencies of scale
· For example, Hockerill is a small campus and provides excellent education showing no disadvantage of being centrally located, “hemmed in”, “unable to expand”. Its focus will not be distracted by property development for the next few years
· Traffic considerations - the property developers proposing the school relocation want to have 240 extra houses at Herts and Essex school site and playing fields; 232 extra houses at the Boys High site; and 247 extra houses at the Hadham Road site. These outline permissions will grow, and will be on top of the new 1,000 dwellings planned for the town centre. The road system will not cope
· Relocating a 16 Form Entry to a single combined site for 3,000 pupils, and staff to serve them, on the town’s southern fringe at the junction of Whittington Way and London Road will concentrate traffic gridlock in that area twice a day, instead of dispersing the traffic flows around the town
· Fewer pupils will be within walking distance to the new site, especially the “new” pupils who populate the new 6 forms proposed
· Should the ASR development of 3,500 houses ever be developed this housing estate could not be located further from the proposed new dual site at Whittington Way
· Financial reasons – there is no duty on the 2 Foundation schools to form part of a property developing scheme which generates a theoretical financial gain for Herts County Council. The Local Educational Authority has a duty to provide education and will have access to Central Government funding to build whatever new school required to satisfy that duty. Building a school on an alternate site does not cost Herts LEA
· Air Traffic Noise – with the National Air Traffic Service’s requirements for 2009 to make a tighter right hand turn on the BUZAD route for Stansted Airports increasing traffic, the Whittington Way site will be partially overflown and far noisier than the alternative site
· What alternative?
· The Hadham Road site owned by Herts County Council is 8.30 hectares, and if the Fire station is relocated the site is 9.65 hectares, and so is larger than the existing Boy’s High at 6.8 hectares, and Herts and Essex site at 7.0 hectares
· The Hadham Road site is large enough for a new mixed 6 Form entry school
· It is located in the North West quadrant of the town where there has been greatest housing development in the last 15 years and no new school places provided
· It is located opposite existing playing fields and open non Green Belt land
· It would improve the balance in the town to serve the feeder primary schools located in that quadrant of Bishop’s Stortford
Parents now and for the future, car users, commuters, staff of the existing schools, workers in the town, residents around the vacated sites and the new proposed sites, must give active serious consideration to the full implications of this whole scheme and the viable alternative.
Also it is not a flippant remark to ask you to judge whether our planners seriously have the skills, vision and finance to offset the obvious risks of this proposal. Equally does our town have the physical road capacity to absorb this application?
Lastly by supporting BSCF you are not denying further school choice, as we want any new school to be located at the Hadham Road site instead.
Further info at: www.stortfordcf.org.uk
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THE CIVIC SOCIETY
The Civic Society, originally formed in the 1960s to prevent the Corn
Exchange from being demolished to make way for a flyover to solve
Stortford’s traffic problem (!), is transforming itself again. There has
been much interest in the large scale redevelopment of the town centre and
transport proposals to ameliorate the town’s traffic problems. Hitherto
no specific grouping exists to express normal people’s views on all this.
The Councilors, Chambers of Commerce and developers all have their separate
agendas but none seem able to focus on an overall strategy for the town which
affects how the quality of life for us, and future generations. The Civic
Society has taken the bold and initial steps to re-equip itself as a federation
of existing community groups to channel the wider interests of people who
actually live and use the town. For one reason or another it is clear these
interests are not being best served by the existing framework of governance we
enjoy at present. Maybe the move is to eventually wrest control of what matters
for Stortford back to a Unitary Local Council which can truly put
Stortford’s interests First – ahead of those of the District, or
Uttlesford, or the Region or BAA.
Whichever direction this new federation takes, the committee of this Community
Association supports the initiative and hopes it shall result in a better deal
for Stortford. This may be for cleaner parks, better funding for Leisure
facilities, sensible parking charges and availability, improved traffic systems
and pedestrianisation, or even a sensible system of council tax . . . . . . . .
now that is perhaps a little ambitious.
These initiatives will follow whatever the input of the people who become
involved. If you have ever wanted to try to make a difference locally, in a
non-party political way, then joining this group may interest you. For further
details contact any member of the Committee.
The CCA is now working closely with the Bishops Stortford Civic Federation, please also see Civic Federation page.
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LOCAL PLAN LATEST
Rye Street Application
As you may know
the developers have appealed to the Secretary of State!
The ARSD flyer (shown below) is being distributed to households etc urging
residents to write and object. Please do all you can to ask your neighbours/friends
to write. If you need copies of the attached to hand out then let me know asap.
I have consulted a Planning consultant who is producing a statement/document to
refute the claims made by the developers/appellants. We have an estimate for
this work, if anyone wishes to contribute please let me know as any amount is
welcome. I can email you a copy of the estimate.
IT IS VITAL WE CARRY ON MAKING OUR VIEWS KNOWN-IT IS NOT A WASTED EFFORT, THEY
WILL CONSIDER RESIDENTS OBJECTIONS
Geoff Sida
Tel: 01279 651653
Mob: 07806846466
e: geoffsida@talktalk.net
Against Rye Street Development (ARSD)
OBJECT TO DEVELOPERS APPEAL NOW!
The developers have taken the plans for the flats to appeal.
They have employed a professional Planning Consultant to refute all the objections raised by Residents, County Planning department and our Town Council.Please do all you can to object strongly.
The appeals office will consider residents objections - please support our fight to stop these plans for flats.
Please write,
(to the Planning Inspectorate) stating that you wish to reiterate the objections to the plans you have already made, and you support the Town Council and Planning office rejection of these plans.You should write to
and Quote ref APP/J1915/A/08/2077378/NWFPlanning Inspectorate, Room 3/01 Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN
post to be with the Inspector by 4 August – enclose 3 copies of your letter in total, if you are able to
We are unable to send this leaflet to all objectors as we do not have all the names!! – PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON
Against Rye Street Development (ARSD)
Please contact Geoff Sida 01279 651653 (geoffsida@talktalk.net)
or Justin Bliss 01279 301604 for any help or information.
Impression of flats, creating a tunnel effect along existing roadway, this area is the narrowest piece of road!
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RYE STREET TRAFFIC INITIATIVES
An excellent community based initiative is being taken on by Martin Cole in Rye Street. Early findings show speed and lack of safe crossing point at the top end of Rye Street is a key complaint. The target to get a well positioned crossing point is likely to solve both issues.
To reinforce this campaign work we ask you email to the CCA f.a.o. Martin Cole at info@ChantryResidents.org.uk
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BISHOP'S STORTFORD 2020
Bishop's Stortford Town Council and East Herts District Council are working together to produce a plan for the town, called Bishop's Stortford 2020.
To ensure that everyone who lives, works or shops in the town has an opportunity to influence this plan, the Town Plan Steering Committee have put a questionnaire on the website www.stort.co.uk with a link to it from the Bishop's Stortford Town website.
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Updated: 11 July 2008