Residents’ group’s fight to stop over-development in Tring
Adoption of the Draft Local Plan by Dacorum Council has entered its final phase, the ‘Examination in Public’ (EIP) process, where Central Government appointed Inspectors decide if it is ‘sound’ and can be adopted or should be amended.
The EIP is in 3 stages. The first has now taken place and it examined the Site selection methodology and the Green Belt Review. Tring Residents’ group The Grove Fields Residents Association (GFRA) orchestrated feedback on the Plan – Dacorum received a staggering number of responses, they believe the majority were from Tring and, with only a very few exceptions, were highly critical. The GFRA – with considerable help from a Planning Consultant paid for by donations – submitted detailed arguments against the Plan and was rewarded with a seat at the table for Stage 1.
Stage 1 witnessed Dacorum Planners being put under considerable pressure by GFRA, other local organisations as well as the Inspectors on the lack of evidence of a logical process in development site selection and their outdated and incomplete recognition of available brown field sites, resulting in the proposal for more Green Belt land to be sacrificed than the group believes is necessary.
What’s next and why GFRA need your help
Stage 2 of the EIP focuses solely on Hemel Hempstead and St. Albans and GFRA did not need to be involved.
Stage 3 is the critical stage for Tring. At the time of writing it’s possible it could be scheduled for November and/or December and it will look at the site allocations for each area.
GFRA Chair, Graham Bright says: ‘Our Planning Consultant advised that we need to be there and be represented not only by them but at this critical time also by a Planning Barrister. We expect the owner of the 1,400 house Marshcroft proposal site will be represented by the extremely effective Barrister we encountered at the previous Marshcroft Appeal. As one of our Team said, “Don’t go into a fight with a knife when the other party has a gun!” – therefore, we need a Planning Barrister.’
How much do GFRA need?
Graham said: ‘We now know that the Inspectors have required the Council to provide evidence of their site selection process and we need a Planning Barrister KC and our Planning Consultant to review our case in advance of the hearing. We’ll then need to pay the KC to attend and contribute to that hearing so we can make the best impact. In round numbers we are currently £20,000 short.’
The GFRA now has over 800 members across Tring and the surrounding Villages. They fully understand that not everyone has the means to give and many have already given generously, but they are asking those that do, to consider donations now to keep the fight alive.
Graham believes this is Tring’s last chance and that if they can achieve their target they stand the best chance of fighting this ‘bonkers’ over-development of the town.
How to give
The GFRA Bank Account details (online – select ‘business’) are:
Grove Fields Residents Association
Sort code: 23-05-80
Account number: 24937695