Response from Mrs Lorraine Thompson, Cross-a-Moor & Swarthmoor Community
1. Mrs Lorraine Thompson, Cross-a-Moor & Swarthmoor Community : 8 May 2013 15:33:00
Please add your response below, quoting the main modification reference number: (limit 3000 words)
Response from the concerned residents of Swarthmoor and Cross-a-Moor
(RN109) regarding the SLDC Land Allocations DPD dated 5th >April 2013
Having read through the amended document it is clear that there have
been some minor changes with regard to the Swarthmoor and Cross a Moor
area in response to the public consultation event. However, as
concerned residents we would like to raise the following points -
Ref LA1.0 The term 'presumption in favour of development with the Local
Plan' is a term which requires further clarification. Does this term
mean that once the local plan has been approved the developments will
go ahead regardless of concern raised by the community? The area RN109
is barely referred to in the amended document, whereas other areas are
identified in detail. Does this mean that there is no change to the
plans of the SLDC, and that planning consent will be given regardless
of the issues raised during the public consultation? We would like
reassurance that there will be a full consultation exercise as stated,
and that the technical use of language is not a 'smoke screen'.
Ref MM007 The information contained in this section underpins the
concerns raised by many RN109 residents, significantly -
- the ease of accessing the site,
- the impact of topography and relief and the scope to meet identified
needs,
- Local and wider Community views including those expressed through
Community engagement and through Parish Plans and the Sustainable
>Community Strategy; Sustainability considerations including the
distance to key services, - the risks of flooding and contamination, -
Landscape and Settlement considerations including the potential impact
of development on landscape and views, the scale of development
relative to the settlement size, whether the site preserves the
separate identity of settlements (Swarthmoor and Cross a Moor are
separate settlements, the fact that house building has taken place on
one side of the village should not set precedence) and the impact of
development on site features such as trees, watercourses and buildings;
- Community Infrastructure including impacts on the local highways,
water, sewerage and energy networks, the delivery of future
infrastructure needs, impacts on Green Infrastructure and local
community infrastructure needs and the potential regeneration benefits
of development;
Ref MM0214 We welcome the statement that a Development Brief will be
prepared in consultation with the community before moving forward with
any plans for Cross-a-Moor and Swarthmoor, which, we must reinforce,
are separate communities (please see comment above). However, the
'presumption in favour of development' statement must be clarified.
What are the member of the community to be consulted on if there is a
presumption in favour of development?
Those who have acted as key contacts for the community during the
consultation exercise would like to be kept informed of developments as
much as is possible, and are willing to set up meetings (book venues,
publicise meetings, invite members of the communities and local
councillors etc) in order to ensure that as much information is
available as possible so that all members of both communities feel they
have been listened to in a democratic way.
We welcome the seriousness with which the SLDC planning team members
are taking this process. To quote George Osborne "houses have to be
built in the right places for the right reasons". The concerns detailed
and submitted during the public consultation remain our main priority.
We do not want to create a High and Low Swarthmoor as was created in
High and Low Newton. We do not want to have to petition for a bypass in
years to come to address the road safety fears further house building
will impact on - with further agricultural land being required to build
such a bypass. We strongly believe there are more appropriate sites for
house building which will not remove high quality grazing agricultural
land from the local infrastructure.
We want decisions to be taken by local councillors and members of the
community - those who will be directly affected by any development
plans, and not by those who see this as an exercise to 'square off'
>the village.
Lorraine Thompson, on behalf of the concerned residents of Cross a Moor
and Swarthmoor
