CAUSE is calling on the planners to listen to local people and turn aside from any development which threatens the character of Bishop’s Stortford and reduces the quality of life for its residents.
In March 1999 CAUSE held a two-day campaign in Stortford, asking people to sign letters of protest to East Herts District Council against the development of the ASR land. There was overwhelming support for CAUSE, and 4,787 letters were subsequently handed to the EHDC chairman. As a result of this, CAUSE was able to make a formal verbal presentation to the Planning Committee in August 1999, which was well-received.
In April/June 1999 the public had the opportunity to comment on the East Herts District Council’s pre-deposit consultation document on the Local Plan. EHDC received 933 responses, of which 238 were private individuals specifically responding to the section concerning the proposals for Bishop’s Stortford. George Martin, EHDC’s Chief Planner (Environment), admitted “We have had very little encouraging support for the idea” [Herts & Essex Observer, 17 June 1999]. He has been taken aback by the strength of the residents’ response “This degree of hostility is something new .... I don’t know where it’s come from, or why” [Herts & Essex Observer, 9 Sep 1999].
To increase public awareness of the nature and extent of the land threatened by the proposed development, CAUSE held a Ramble in September 1999 and again in May 2002, using some of the lanes and public footpaths which run through the ASRs.
Picture:
Supporters gather to be photographed by the press prior to the
May 2002 Ramble.
As a result of the public support it has recieved, CAUSE has been able to influence EHDC policy in favour of building preferentially on brownfield sites and putting ASR development on temporary hold. Bishop’s Stortford Mayor Cllr Duncan Peek said “Credit must go to the planning officers who have listened to the investigations by CAUSE and also to hundreds of concerned residents” [Citizen 2 Feb 2000].
The Public Consultation on the Second Review of the Local Plan was held in the 6 weeks up to 8th August 2001. Details of this consulation can be found on the EHDC website here. CAUSE found that the strength of public feeling in the town was undiminished. The high profile campaign centred in the high street on consecutive Saturdays, backed up by an advertising campaign at the Stortford railway station, produced a consistent response from residents of the town and those from surrounding villages alike. The number of objections raised as “quite exceptional” (3344 representations were received regarding the Bishop's Stortford chapter, the vast majority of which were from residents objecting to the proposals) and as a result the Public Inquiry was postponed.
A statement regarding the state of the campaign at March 2004 ("CAUSE - Looking Ahead") can be found here. Approximately 100 concerned residents attended the Community Voice meeting about EHDC's Master Plan for the expansion of Bishop's Stortford on 26th July 2004. EHDC's consultants were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this issue in the town. A more detailed document was presented at the Community Voice meeting on 28th October and a "Neighbourhood Test Concept" proposed - i.e. a plan of the development proposed for the ASRs - see the plans here.
CAUSE presented a detailed objection to the proposals to the Inspector of the Local Plan Public Inquiry which concluded in March 2006. The Inspector's Report is expected to be released in March 2007.
In addition to the proposed retention of the ASRs as land earmarked for development in the Local Plan, the ASRs are now under threat from the house-building targets set by the East of England Regional Assembly. Over 26,000 responses were made to the public consultation on these proposals, and CAUSE subsequently presented its case to EERA at the Examination in Public in February 2006. See EERA's press release 27/2/06. Since the conclusion of the EiP, the government have attempted to increase the housing burden on the region still further - see EERA's press release 16/3/06.
