QUOTE (Simon Kirby @ Nov 12 2013, 05:41 PM)
There's not much detail yet because they're not at the detailed design stage, just the public consultation stage.
I though the survey was pretty good. I thought the tone of it was particularly good, it seemed open and engaging. I'm not aware that Sandleford had anything like that. I'm very pleased to see that they have pencilled in allotments and prompted locals to respond positively to the option.
I'm happy about it.
They haven't pencilled in anything except profits - there is no design yet - and probably won't be for a few years. Their current aim is to convince the planner to accept these fields as development land. They will promise almost anything to get the land redesignated. Once they do they will start to chip away at all the nice things 'promised'.
Allotments? Yes we gave consultees the chance to tick a box saying they thought allotments were a good thing. However, more people thought that a hotel and pub would be a good thing so we've decide to go with the majority on this one.
I went to the consultation and was distinctly unimpressed - the young lads in suits who were representing the developers obviously didn't have a clue what was planned - and seemed just as confused as me when looking a the two maps - one showing a pubic open space at the northern end of the site and the other a housing estate in the same position. One told me that that part of the site would not be part of the initial development anyway, another told a chap I spoke to afterwards that that part of the site would be one of the first parts to be developed because it is seen as a good place to sell higher quality houses. The result of the current process is a 'masterplan' in spring 2014 - which they say will give more idea of what they propose.
I was told that this development is being put forward outside of (ie in addition to) the Local Development Framework - which was a surprise, but thinking on it can I see why - its too big to fit into the Framework so why bother jumping the hurdles necessary to be included.