It is fitting to report that, in the depths of this harsh winter, CAUSE (Campaign Against Unsustainable Stortford Expansion) had effectively run its course. The issues in which it was so heavily involved will soon be decided. However like Spring heralding the beginning of new life, those issues will evolve into another set of challenges for the town for another voluntary group to react to.
The results of the Public Inquiry held in November 2005 on the District’s Local Plan, and the more weighty Examination in Public of the East of England regional plan staged in February 2006, will be published in the first half of 2007 and will largely decide Stortford's future growth for the next 15 years – for better or for worse. Little more can be done by CAUSE to influence these decisions now. There is some optimism, and it is purely coincidental that Mike Carver has stepped down from leading EHDC. It remains to be seen if the Inspector's report will so wholeheartedly support such ideas of demolishing two schools and re-siting them so near the flight paths, or if the Regional Plan will be required to specify 2000 houses on the ASR lands north of Dane O’Coys.
Despite the efforts of our elected District Councillors outnumbered at EHDC in Hertford, the real interests of Bishops Stortford were never really served. So in these matters CAUSE was also given a mandate to fight against large scale housing developments on the periphery of Stortford. To the extent the land still remains undeniably beautiful countryside, easily accessible, walkable and freely open to Stortford, then CAUSE can already claim some success. This was against the very real threat of the developers having serious desires to build 1000s of out of town houses during the period 1999-2003. The 1000s of objections from supporters; the countryside rambles; coconut shies; TV and radio appearances; the letters; consultations; petitions; meetings; attendances at Public Inquiries; spreading information via leaflets and websites – all organised by CAUSE, may prove worthwhile yet.
However with the planning decisions of Region and District pending – the results of which will be truly momentous and final for determining Bishop Stortford’s future – now is the time for CAUSE to move on. A new agenda is opening up which will present different challenges for the town and so require a new approach to campaign for Stortford’s future balanced growth. The single issue grouping of CAUSE will not be enough, but CAUSE will be happy to submerge itself into this new federation of interests which is currently being formed under the guidance of the Civic Society.
In the meantime CAUSE would like to say a genuine thank-you to all those who took an interest and supported its endeavours over the period 1998-2006.
Thank you
Philip Rowley, Chairman, CCA
March 2006
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