Hello again
This week the digest is closer to the standard short, snappy summary rather than last week’s expansive exposition. It’s also the last edition before the new year; we all deserve some time to focus on festivities with family and friends. [And no more abysmal alliterations……]
1. Broxtowe Local Plan Part 2: the reprise
- Last week was all about the number of houses we may see on the Barracks and Strategic Growth Area (SGA: either side of Toton Lane & the Sidings)
- This week’s sessions concentrated on generic policy matters such as: Green Belt, Green Spaces/Infrastructure, & Designated Heritage Assets.
- We attended the sessions covering these matters and in summary:
- Total land being taken out of Green Belt designation across the Borough is 250 hectares (ha). Our Area is losing the most: 154 ha taken out by SGA
- Green Spaces and Green Infrastructure Corridors (GICs) are important features that are used mitigate the loss of Green Belt
- We argued for the Memorial Garden in the Barracks to be recorded as a ‘Prominent Area for Special Protection’. The council agreed to include it in their list
- The council also agreed with our suggestion that heritage assets on the Barracks need to be formally assessed and added to the council’s register in due course.
- You’ll know from previous digests that we are keen to ensure all features important to our community, especially GICs, are protected and enhanced. The sessions made clear that Neighbourhood Plans are the best mechanism to identify green spaces, corridors, (as well as heritage assets) so we’re content the Borough’s policies covering these matters are sufficiently worded to support the ideas we’ll include in our Plan.
2. HS2 Consultation: a final call to action
- The latest HS2 consultation phase closes next Friday 21st at 11:45pm, so (if you haven’t done so already) you have less than a week to submit your views on the latest proposals.
- So, please, no more delays, no more procrastination. Now is the time! Here’s a reminder of key issues and links:
- Top ten list of local issues concerning the Hub Station
- Online link to HS2 feedback form
- This links to the page on our website that provides further information.
- Let us know your views via HS2.CTTCNF@gmail.com so we can collate & publish (anonymously) a selection on our website
- I’ve mentioned this before (& I make no apology) but the more we, as individuals, respond to this consultation, the more powerful the message HS2 will hear! Many thanks for taking the time to respond. Your comments count!
3. Our Neighbourhood Plan: an initial viewing.
- For all those looking for something to fill some time over the Christmas period, I may have just the thing for you…..….a first sight of our emerging Neighbourhood Plan! I know, I know, you can hardly contain your excitement.
- The link takes you to the first two sections of the Plan. Section 1 provides background information about our Area and describes the key features. Section 2 explains our vision and key objectives, all of which derive from the consultation sessions we’ve held over the last 15 months or so – but especially those last spring.
- The final, most important section will detail our policies along with the associated justification and evidence. But it still needs to be written – we have most of the material to hand, it just needs collating and organising.
- So, whilst this draft is incomplete (and also being refined), we thought it worth sharing with you so you can at least see our vision and objectives. Do you agree with them? Have we missed anything important?
- We aim to publish the complete Plan next spring and formal consultation will take place soon after so there is no need for you to respond now. But if you have early comments/ideas to strengthen it, please let me know.
4. And finally…..
- Broxtowe Local Plan: a reprise of the reprise. Just to finish this topic for a while: the next steps are for Council to respond to issues raised by the Examiner at the hearings and for her to be satisfied with their answers. This will inevitably take time. We don’t expect the final version will be published for at least 3 months – possibly as much as 6. If any radical changes are made that affect us, we’ll let you know.
- A date for your diary: actually more of a location. As reported previously the Forum’s AGM is on Sunday 10th February 2019 starting at 3pm. However, I can now confirm it will be held at the Village Hotel,Chilwell. More details on what we plan to showcase in future editions, but I’m pleased to say that HS2Ltd have agreed to come along again to answer any queries
- Apologies for the poor formatting of last week’s edition. WordPress released a new version of software and – idiot that I am – I ran the upgrade just prior to posting last week’s digest. The result, entirely predictable, was me unsuccessfully scrabbling around trying to figure out how things worked. Ah well…..
A reminder; the next edition is in the new year. So, on behalf of the Steering Group, we’d like to thank you all for your ongoing support over the last year – it means a lot to us.
We hope you enjoy the festivities over the next couple of weeks and that you have a peaceful, prosperous and productive New Year! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist alittle alliteration to finish.)
Merry Christmas!
Kind regards
Graham
Broxtowe Lotto: tickets available from our CTTC Forum page where you’ll also find details of the scheme.