The Beverley Party insists that Beverley has not been sentenced to a life as a soulless commuter-town just yet.
However, The Beverley Party is concerned at the extent to which our councillors have been giving the impression to their electorate that it is all a ‘done deal’ and that 1000s of new houses will spring up in Beverley, no matter what.
In a statement released, The Beverley Party said;
“This is not elected representatives speaking on behalf of their electorate, this is clearly the party whip talking. And this is exactly what The Beverley Party wants to put an end to.”
The Beverley Party have highlighted the issue surrounding a local pub amid claims made by three Councillors that they did indeed save it from being demolished, claims that have repeatably been dismissed by the developer, they, commenting on the Game Bird The Beverley Party said;
“In relation to the Gamebird saga, Cllr Keri Harold was quoted recently as saying, ‘We were acting in our capacity as ward councillors in supporting residents in objecting to a live planning application. As ward Councillor that is our job.’ These words ring hollow indeed when we consider the bigger picture.”
“ERYC councillors have led their electorate into thinking that any objections to the 1000s of houses proposed for Beverley are pointless. Conspiracy theorists might even suggest that ‘Gamebird Gate’ could be considered a diversionary tactic that goes beyond the usual election rhetoric.”
“All this is just symptomatic of the total disregard our ERYC representatives have for us, the electorate, a disregard we have been subjected to for far too long.
“Who does not remember Cllr. Bryan Pearson’s ‘classic’ outburst at the Town Meeting in April 2013. He told everyone present in relation to the proposed closure of the Flemingate level crossing ‘you’ll just have to lump it’?”
“The Local Development Plan took ERYC ten years to prepare and was finally submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 29th April 2014. The planning Inspector has since reviewed the plan and has requested a number of changes.”
“In response to these requests, ERYC have now made amendments to the plan, but they are now required to consult the public again. This consultation period is from the 30th March 2015 until the 11th May 2015.”
“Even if the Local Development Plan is passed with these amendments, this does not mean that the housing developments proposed therein are inevitable.”
“Builders will still have to put in planning applications to ERYC’s planning committee, who can consider matters other than the Local Development Plan in making their decision whether or not to grant planning permission. In other words, the Local Development Plan is not in itself a blank cheque for developers, as they still have to follow the process of applying for planning permission. And, finally, Local Development Plans can be re-written.”
“All this means, it really isn’t too late to save Beverley. It also means that it is high time we stopped politics that involve manipulating the electorate into inaction.”
“The Beverley Party wants proper consultation and transparency. We want the people of Beverley and its surrounding villages to have a voice that is heard loud and clear. May 7th can bring us the change we need.”
So what can we do?
1. Write to the planning inspector’s representative at ERYC (make sure you mark your correspondence ‘Private and Confidential’) at Room GG9 in County Hall or email him direct at: malcolm.wells@eastriding.gov.uk ;
2.Ask candidates standing for election what their views are on the proposed growth in housing in Beverley;
3.Vote for councillors who oppose unsustainable and unsympathetic development;
4.Change the balance of our council, so that the ERYC planning committee can be a real forum for discussion;
5.Object to unsustainable and unsympathetic planning applications when they are submitted.
So what could we write to the Planning Inspector? First of all, we can comment on the consultation process. Are we content that we were consulted properly? Secondly, the amendments include major changes; it will require a re-drawing of the area (polygon BEV-J) to the north of the new bypass to exclude areas prone to flooding. It stands to reason, therefore, that we can submit comments on the proposed development area as a whole.
Amendments relating to the number of proposed houses might suggest that we can question the number in general East of the railway (polygon BEV-K). The Local Development Plan (http://localplan.eastriding.gov.uk/) also includes land currently belonging to Longcroft School (BEV-C) and other land in Molescroft (BEV-A) as well as some that is already being developed (BEV_B), so it is already out of date. There is, therefore, much to comment on!
