GRENVILLE Hodge’s statement to the Journal about the Airfield redevelopment plans is misleading. He claims that ‘There has been several meetings with the Parish Council, welcoming views from the community’ but, to date there have been three only. The first in September 2012, which only provided initial thoughts on the development, vague ideas on area ‘A’ and nothing about Ford apart from recognition as ‘sensitive’.
The next meeting was in September 2013 prior to enquiry by design when the PC was given a brief on what was to occur.
The meeting was held during the daytime limiting a local response AND poorly advertised. The last meeting was on December 11, the evening before the declared Community Consultation event.
The Master plan was prepared with no involvement from the community. Attendees were invited to fill in a questionnaire, heavily loaded towards development.
The Core Strategy states: ‘The Masterplan will be developed in PARTNERSHIP with the local community, local planning authority and the developer PRIOR to any application being considered.’ The developer has given no meaning to the words and spirit of this requirement. The Masterplan has been produced in confidential meetings.
Conservation Area Management Plans The latest version appeared on the planning application without any opportunity for the Parish Council to respond with their comments. Grenville Hodge has said that ‘The Council (WC) has responsibility to produce a Conservation plan – we are helping them out’. The CAMP has to be acceptable to WC and not balanced towards development. I understand that the Parish Council consider they have NOT been consulted on any version of the plan.
The plan to build 480 houses is clearly overdevelopment when the stated principle need is the continuous flying activity on the airfield. We don’t know how money is needed for this purpose; there should be a business case to justify such a large development in a Conservation area of a 100-yearold airfield together with an acceptable CAMP.
People have until the 30 June to submit their objections and I urge them to do so. Planning number 15/04004/OUT www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ planninganddevelopment.htm
RON CHAMPION Ford
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