2005/6
Annual Report
June 20th, 2006
CONTENTS
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Binfield Village Protection Society was established in 1975 in response to
the growing development pressures of the day. The objectives were then and
remain so today:
“To preserve, enhance and protect the amenity of the
Parish of Binfield and the surrounding area: to preserve Binfield as a separate
community and an independent entity.”
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Binfield Village Protection Society will take
place on Thursday, 29th June 2006 at 8.00 p.m. The Meeting will be held in the
Memorial Hall, Terrace Rd. South, Binfield and members of the Society, past and
present, guests, visitors and residents of Binfield are all welcome.
The
Meeting will start with the Business of the AGM and will be followed by an
address by: Dr Harry Leonard who will speak on:
Binfield’s Heritage:
a “walk” round Eighteenth Century Binfield
Dr Leonard will answer questions from the floor and light refreshments will be
served at the end of the meeting.
About Binfield Village Protection Society
The Society has a history, since its inception, of giving responsible and
constructive comments on planning matters. We are supported entirely by a small
annual membership fee and any further voluntary contributions each household
choose to make. Membership is open to all residents of the parish. The Committee
meets monthly, holds occasional exhibitions, attends Planning Inquiries and
distributes newsletters to inform the residents of important matters affecting
the village. The newly created web site will be launched at the Annual General
Meeting. It can be found easily at www.bvps.org.uk.
Ten members have sat on the Protection Society’s Committee for the year 2005 –
2006. They are Margaret Foster (Chairperson), Judith Vucic (Hon. Secretary),
Hilary Doyle (Hon. treasurer), Chris Bickley, Angela Davey, John Hartingdon,
Colin Hole, Duncan Hullis, Sally Hardy and Joan Utting. All have agreed to serve
on the Committee for another year. Three new Society members attended some of
the Committee meetings as observers and following their important contributions
to these meetings have been invited to join the Committee. They are Anthony
Clayden, Lesley Ashley and Claire Jackaman. All Committee members will be
confirmed by a vote by Members of the Society at the Annual General Meeting. The
Committee endeavour to address all issues brought to its attention by Members of
the Society as well as those issues brought by residents with special concerns
about issues in their own corner of the village.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Committee members for their
hard work for the Society and for their loyal support to me since becoming
chairman in June,2000.
Motorway Service Area on the M4
The battle to prevent a MSA (Motorway Service Area) being built at Great Hazes
on Green Belt land within Binfield started back in 1996. The Committee has been
involved in planning enquiries, attending and speaking on behalf of the village
since the first Public Enquiry. In December 2001, several Committee members
joined the larger M4 MSA Action Group under the chairmanship of Colin Frizzell.
Subsequently, most of this large committee spoke at the second Inquiry in
Public, which began on the 5th November 2002 and closed at the end of October
2003. The Protection Society also made a small contribution to the fighting
fund.
In October 2005 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister declared that there was
no special reason why a Motorway Service Area should be built in the
Metropolitan Green Belt and turned down the application to develop on land at
Great Hazes.
Members will remember that the Inspectors heard the Great Hazes appeal with four
other appeals about Motorway Service Areas on other motorways including the M40
and the M25. It was a very big Inquiry and the final decision letter was some 40
pages long. The Chapter 8 Conclusions and Appendices ran to over 250 pages. The
legal barrister who supported the M4 MSA Action Group, Clifford Joseph,
interpreted the decision for us.
Further to our discussions, “the decision letter looks fairly appeal proof and
lays the ground for refusing any future applications on these sites or any
others on this stretch of the M4.”
Item 1 “Because of the nearness of Reading MSA to these sites, the need is
only significant, which means definite or important and is the lowest form of
need. Clearly there is some need because of the excess distance to New Barn
Farm, South Mimms and Toddington. Contrast this with the clear and compelling
need for New Barn Farm and Burtley Wood “
Item 2 “hence the significant need at our” (three) “sites was no where near
enough to overcome the harm to the Green Belt and so all were refused. In
contrast the clear and compelling need for NBF and BW was given substantial
weight and so overcame the Green Belt harm”
Item 3 “Since the Green Belt harm will always remain and Reading will always
be 15 miles or less, there is no prospect of a future successful application
unless Government policy changes. The decision relied heavily on the policy to
complete the 30-mile spacing between MSAs. None of these on the M4 complied as
they were too near Reading. This is the only risk for the future.”
Item 4 “The local authority can refuse to consider any similar applications
for two years from 6th October 2005 unless there are important changes in
circumstances, such as change in Government policy as mentioned above, on the 30
mile spacing e.g. replacing the 30 miles with *15*. This does seem unlikely and
there is no indication of change.” (08.10.05.)
If this issue should return in the next five years the Binfield Village
Protection Society will again object to development in the Green Belt but, no
doubt, through different personnel.
The Local Development Framework
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) requires that a Local
Development Framework (LDF) replace the Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan.
This essentially is a collection of documents (Local Development Documents)
containing policies and proposals to guide future development in the Borough.
The Local Development Documents will compromise both “determination of planning
documents” and “supplementary planning documents”
The first phase of replacing the BF Local Plan will include the – Core Strategy,
Housing Policies, Employment, Movement and Accessibility and Site Location. To
date the Protection Society has addressed the Core Strategy document, which also
included Initial Sustainable Appraisal. The Society has commented on this and
has run a campaign within the village urging residents to reply to the Borough
Council publication “In Your View”. “In Your View” was, apparently a
Borough-wide questionnaire and it is understood that the Borough received just
over two thousand replies. This is not an impressive return and could mean that
not many returns were sent from Binfield. This could reflect some silent, and
not so silent, thoughts that perhaps “they don’t take any notice of what we say
anyway: they will have made their minds up by now so its not worth replying.” On
addressing the Core Strategy document it did appear that the planners had their
eye on nearly every bit of open space and countryside that the Protection
Society has been defending for the last thirty years. Nevertheless the Committee
did hold extra meetings and did comment on the Bracknell Forest Borough Local
Development Framework: Core Strategy Development Plan Document: Draft Spatial
Framework for Bracknell Forest to 2026.
There are so many constraints to BFBC carrying out their required duties and
fulfilling the required housing numbers decreed by Government and the S.E.
Regional Assembly that it will be an achievement if the Borough Council reach
all the housing number targets without penalty in the shorter term, never mind
2026.
Permission has already been obtained, several years ago for a large,
well-designed development of 1200 houses at Peacock Farm. However the developers
have not moved on this for a number of reasons (thought to be creating a bank of
land within the south east, awaiting house price increases). This, together with
slow progress on the Staff College Site, will mean that Bracknell Forest Borough
Council are faced with failure to reach their housing numbers for the period up
to 2006.
The Protection Society has always kept a close watch on the plans for the
development of Peacock Farm and Amen Corner. Both these areas have planning
briefs and these are available on the Borough web site
www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk. The development of the R.A.F. Staff College Site,
the old Met Office sites and the regeneration of Bracknell Town Centre, although
not within the parish boundaries, also hold our attention, as these developments
will have very real knock-on effects on the housing supply in the Borough and on
traffic issues within Binfield.
Members of the Protection Society frequently express the view that there must be
some finite limit to the expansion of Bracknell. This could be attainable if the
Core Strategy in the emerging Local Development Framework included the
preservation of green spaces – for traditional pursuits, for leisure, for the
development of landscaping and as a contribution to the protection of the
character of the local areas, such as Binfield. All building should be
controlled, in order at least, that they are in keeping with the surroundings,
that they are given a focus and that they are environmentally friendly. It is
felt that a community or Village Design Statement would contribute to policies
on open spaces and the built environment. It would contribute much to these
proposals if the Binfield Parish Council could progress the present draft Design
Statement to the Bracknell Forest Borough Council Planning and Environment
Department for approval and acceptance.
We repeatedly say:
“It is felt that maintaining already established open spaces in the Borough,
keeping the present gaps between settlements, especially, those between Binfield
and Bracknell and between Bracknell and Wokingham, protection of the countryside
outside the settlement boundaries and the development of an imaginative Design
Statement should be clearly stated in a newly emerging Local Development Plan”
“The Binfield Village Protection Society is concerned to maintain the agreeable
quality of life in each corner of the village and feel that the remaining rural,
countryside and green aspects in Binfield contribute largely to this state. It
is also felt that this desire to maintain as much of the countryside outlook of
our community as is possible in the 21st Century, contributes to national
values, as well as to the local situation.”
To this end we persist in questioning inappropriate and excessive building and
development.
Thames Basin Heaths
Special Protection Area
This is probably the biggest issue facing Bracknell Forest Borough Council
Planning and Environment Department today.
The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) is a network of heathland
sites which are designated for their ability to provide a habitat for the
internationally important bird species of woodlark, nightjar and Dartford
warbler. This area is protected by the EEC Habitats Directive on the
Conservation of Natural and Semi-Natural Habitats.
Under these Regulations Bracknell Forest Borough Council has a duty to assess
whether there is a risk of any plan or proposal having a significant impact on
the integrity of the SPA.
The council has formed the view, after receiving advice from English Nature (the
government agency responsible for the promotion of wildlife), that there is a
risk that any proposal for residential development of at least one net
additional dwelling within 5km of the SPA boundary is likely to have a
significant effect. A large proportion of Bracknell Forest Borough lies within
5km of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA). The southern half
of Binfield from Amen Corner through to a line just south of Forest Road falls
within this “buffer zone”. A particular concern raised by English Nature is that
new housing development may have an adverse effect on the SPA; for example an
increase in recreational activity and dog walking may disturb the ground-nesting
birds or there could be predation by cats from new houses sited close to the
SPA.
Therefore, before permission can be granted, to be in accordance with the
Habitats Regulations, the Council must undertake an "Appropriate Assessment" of
the implications of the proposal in view of the conservation objectives of the
SPA. If it cannot be established that the proposal would not adversely impact on
the site, then permission must not be granted.
We understand that English Nature and effected Local Planning Authorities, like
Bracknell, are working on “Mitigation Plans” that may release additional land
for public recreational use in order to reduce the impact of new development on
the SPA and so enable Planning permissions to be granted within the 5km buffer
zone. If this cannot be achieved then countryside to the north of Binfield
(outside of the 5km buffer zone) may be at risk of significant new development
in the future.
Binfield Village Protection Society will continue to monitor this situation very
closely and make appropriate representations.
For more information and an
update from English Nature:
CLICK HERE
Regeneration of Bracknell Town Centre
The BVPS was interested to see that planning permission had been obtained for
two hundred units/ flats to be built within Bracknell Town Centre. Permission
was obtained before 9th March 2006 and will be unaffected by the Thames Heath
Basin ‘s Special Protection Area. Short of the developers tardiness this site
could go forward for development.
Amen Corner
The Society supported the Bracknell Forest Borough Council in its proposal to
process the Deposit Draft Alteration to the Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan.
This Alteration looks to set the planning policy context for the Amen Corner
area within Bracknell Forest Borough. It is clearly stated on the plan/map,
which underlies the Alteration that the policies, which are already in place in
the Bracknell Forest Local Plan, will remain at least until the fully completed
Bracknell Forest Development Framework is in place. The Inspector who heard the
appeals by the objectors to the Alteration in the Spring of 2006 turned down the
objections and confirmed that the Alteration to the Settlement Boundary was an
appropriate measure of the BFBC to take and should stand until the Local
Development Framework was in place.
A more detailed history of the position of Amen Corner will be on the web site
in September.
Building proposals within the Settlement Boundary
Planning applications within the settlement boundary have never been reported in
an Annual Report before as they are often at the consultation stage, or before
the Inspector, or awaiting the Inspector’s decision. In other words the
situation has rarely been resolved by the publication of the Annual Report.
However residents of the parish and Members of BVPS are fully aware of the
increase in the numbers of applications to build large blocks of 2 or 3 bedroom
units of housing which every one understands is an euphemism for flats. Most
applications have been rigorously opposed by immediate neighbours, the
Protection Society and even occasionally, very rigorously by the Parish Council.
Sometimes they are withdrawn at this point, sometimes they are refused under
delegated powers and sometimes they are refused by the Elected Members in
Committee. The developers always appeal so that sometimes the Inspector
dismisses the appeal. The developers then propose new planning applications with
half the number of flats that were originally requested. It is difficult to get
these applications turned down but comments about size, design, sustainability,
parking facilities, traffic movements, amenity facilities and landscaping are
always possible and worth making.
Guidance on making objections to unwanted development is available in detail on
the Binfield Village Protection Society’s web site, easily accessed on
www.bvps.org.uk
South East Plan
Between March and June 2006 the Draft South East Plan was out for Public
Consultation. This Plan will be reviewed by an Independent Panel at an
Examination in Public between November 2006 and March 2007 and the final plan
will be published in February 2008. The South East Regional Assembly has
produced the Draft Plan and it is intended that it will set out policies for
this diverse region up to 2026. The policies include housing numbers and types
of housing, policies on the economy, communications and transport, town centres
and countryside and landscape management. The Region has been divided into ten
Sub-Regions and Bracknell Forest is included in the Western Corridor and
Blackwater Valley Sub-Region.
BVPS has responded to the Public Consultations.
In Conclusion
Thank you for taking the trouble to read this Annual Report. We welcome all new
members and would request all well-established members of the Society to
continue to support our efforts on behalf of the Village by renewing their
membership as soon as possible. The money is used to pay for plans, policy
documents, postage and other day-to-day expenses in running the Society. All
monies are gratefully received as all Committee Members give their time
voluntarily and freely and only occasionally recover expenses.
I do hope you will be able to attend the Annual General Meeting.
The annual subscription for household membership is £3 (three pounds). Please go
to our Membership Section to join, renew your
subscription and/or make a donation.
Thank you,
Margaret Foster
Chairperson
