Traveller Planning Examination 24th September

[CC082]

Local plan scrapped.............

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/hartlepool-council-scraps-town-blueprint-which-cost-1-5m-and-five-years-to-create-to-axe-gypsy-site-and-huge-estate-1-6160869

[Hartlepudlion]

Don't forget the £1,500,000 it cost and six years to produce.

I heard that Wells supported his friend opposite in yet another motion.

[rabbit]

Well it`s back to the future! There will not be a rush of undesired plans and pushing by businesses in the current situation.
The new Local Plan has been withdrawn (and lots of money and time potentially wasted) but the council has a Local Plan, the one they are currently using, the 2006 version. Any new developments and changes in the town have (perhaps by law) to follow the content of that Plan.

It may be seen here http://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/downloads/file/961/hartlepool_local_plan_2006

All 272 pages of it.

The provision of housing has to comply with the national Strategic Housing Development (this has recently been revised with a slightly lower build target). There is no mention in that 2006 Local Plan of any new build at Claxton.(Claxton being in open countryside)

Indeed, the Plan states that (quote)

15.34 There is sufficient land available within the limits to development defined around the Hartlepool urban area and the villages to accommodate the anticipated housing needs up to and beyond 2016. There is no justification for new housing development in the open countryside other than that required for countryside activities. Occupancy conditions will be imposed where justified on permissions for agricultural dwellings, and will not be removed without realistic assessment of needs

So no problems then! However the Council, one way or another will still need to facilitate the future supply of some 200 new homes per year. and they would still need to come up with a site for the Gypsies amongst us, unless they can satisfy the Inspector that the town doesn`t need a potential site (seems a little unlikely i.m.o)

[Hartlepudlion]

The gypsy/travellers are complaining about the scrapping of the Hart sites according to the Mail.

How long before CAB has to do another u-turn?

What's the betting the Council will have to fund the full cost of the sites? £5.5M ....... Doesn't matter it's only taxpayers money!

[testing times]

Quote from Council Spokesman:

"A council spokesman said: "This council is fully committed to diversity and equality and has absolutely no issue with the travelling community.
"However, the council's new administration has made a firm commitment to make decisions which resonate with the people of Hartlepool.
"Having listened to widespread concerns expressed by local people about the proposed location of a gypsy and traveller site, the council is fully within its rights to withdraw the Local Plan and to revisit the matter of potential gypsy and traveller site provision to determine whether there is sufficient need and demand to provide a site at all.""

That quote could have come straight from CAB's mouth. It seems to me that HBC has a real problem separating the administration's impartial role from simply becoming a political mouthpiece for the ruling Labour Group. Overtly political statements like this should be made by a Party spokesman - not someone from the Administration. In HBC, they seem to have become one and the same thing.

Next they'll be using council staff and literature to help distribute Labour propaganda.....  

[marky]

One thing the traveller Group is right about is that the legal requirement for HBC to nominate a site hasn't gone away - there's a lot of smoke and mirrors at play here.

[Sanddancer]

Where is Beck's apology to the people of Hart?

[norfolkngoode]

Where is Beck's apology to the people of Hart?

Dont hold your breath waiting for that.........

Probably keeping his head down and mouth shut, hoping that people will forget all about the traveller site disgrace before the next election.