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Newsletters
1
November 2007 - Status of planning applications (pdf
24Kb)
1 Recent Applications:
Brewery:
The retrospective Application (number 071084) for use of one of the buildings
on the site as a brewery has been given temporary approval until October
31st 2010. This is hardly surprising in view of the established light
industrial units on the site. The fact that the building had been in
use as a brewery for over a year without Planning Permission was not
considered to be a reason in itself to withhold planning permission.
It is interesting
to note that the Colchester Borough Council has said that “temporary use hereby permitted is not appropriate for a permanent
permission because of the location of the site within the countryside
and on the edge of the Dedham Vale AONB”.
There is a restriction
that no retail sales shall be carried out from the unit at any time.
The reason given is “to protect the amenities
of the surrounding area and to comply with the Council’s retail
policies”. (This must surely mitigate against approval of any retail
element associated with a future Horkesley Park Application).
Mobile homes for Permanent Accommodation:
Application number 071086 was registered on August 2007 for permission
to use three mobile homes on the site for the permanent accommodation
of agricultural/estate workers. As we said in our last letter, we have
written to the Colchester Borough Council objecting strongly to this
proposal on the basis that the Site is not designated for residential
use of any kind in the Colchester Borough Plan and that to grant permission
would create a very dangerous precedent. We have made the point that
Buntings have other properties adjacent to the site which could be used
for accommodation of staff if they so wished. This Application has yet
to come before the Planning Committee and no date has been set.
2 Status on Horkesley Park proposal:
We now understand
that the major proposal for the Horkesley Park Heritage and Conservation
Centre will not now be re-submitted
before the New Year.
We have no details of this at present but indications are that Buntings
are still talking of 500,000 visitors a year and a £20m investment.
It is not clear why the major publicity campaign launched by Buntings
last Spring and Summer has not so far resulted in an Application this
year.
The only certainty is that we will be ready for the new Application
when it comes and will keep you fully informed.
Once again, I hope this brings you up to date with recent activities.
As we approach the seventh anniversary of the first Application for the
John Constable Countryside and Heritage Centre, our resolve to prevent
any inappropriate exploitation of the London Road site is as strong and
steadfast as ever.
Thank you for your continued support.
23
September 2007 - Buntings recent applications (pdf 31Kb)
Buntings have
submitted retrospective Planning Applications for two of their activities
on the London Road site that have been on-going for
some time; Mobile
homes for Permanent Accommodation and Pitfield micro-brewery.
Buntings lost their
appeal against a decision by the Babergh District Council in July 2006
requiring them
to remove lighting from the Anchor Inn. In their appeal Buntings
indicated that they needed the lighting to attract passing trade. Would
the same apply to Horkesley Park?
20
April 2007– Buntings
announce a series of ‘consultation’ events (pdf
25Kb)
Rosenthal
Lecture: In association with the Nayland and Wiston
Conservation Society, we are holding a lecture in Nayland Village
Hall on Thursday,May 17th
at 7.30pm
entitled:
"Who
owns Constable's Country". After
six years of existence, this will be our first fundraising event.
e-mail: We are trying to build up our e-mail data base for speed and cost of
communication. Please send your e-mail to info@stourvalleyactiongroup.org.uk
and we will add you to our list.
Widen
the message: Please let your friends and acquaintances see this letter and encourage
them to join us. This letter and all our information and how to join
is on our web site at www.stourvalleyactiongroup.org.uk.
24
February 2007– Buntings
will re-submit again (pdf
28Kb)
Buntings have told us that they are nearly ready to re-submit their planning
application for the Horkesley Park Heritage and Conservation Centre. SVAG now has in place village co-ordinators throughout the Stour valley
who will be distributing leaflets and posters and we would ask you to
help in distributing and displaying these resources.
October
2006 – Latest
situation (pdf
10Kb)
A meeting of SVAG members was held in Great Horkesley Village Hall on
September 19th 2006 attended by over 120 people from all surrounding
villages. Strong opposition for the plans continues to be expressed from
a very wide cross-section of the community.
10
April 2006 – Buntings
withdraw again (pdf 38Kb)
Bunting’s Application withdrawn on the basis that ‘they want
to do further work’. Any re-submitted Application will be treated
as a new Application and will therefore be subject to the same consultation
process as the September 2005 Application and under a new number.
This
includes Highlights of the 2005/6 SVAG campaign. This is
a thorough summary of the previous campaign and we encourage you to look
at the full text.
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