Up to a thousand people from Billericay, Vange and other parts of the borough attended a meeting of the Infrastructure, Growth and Development Committee last night, Monday 19th March.
The purpose of the meeting was to decide whether to recommend the draft Local Plan to Full Council, which meets on Thursday.
UKIP and Labour Councillors cast Secretary of State Sajid Javid as the bogeyman, saying the Plan would be much worse if he steps in and takes over. This “A bad plan is better than no Plan” position was also peddled by the previous Conservative administration.
It was refreshing to hear Conservative group leader Phil Turner counter, by saying he thought a Javid involvement might be a good outcome, not the "nuclear option" suggested. He said he thought Javid was someone he could have a sensible discussion with, someone who could be reasoned with, and it was also pointed out that Planning Policy regulations would apply to the government just as much as anyone else.
Residents were given the chance to air their views and there were many excellent speakers who superbly exposed many of the aspects of the Plan that made it so damaging to Billericay and the Borough as a whole.
UKIP and Labour Councillors cast Secretary of State Sajid Javid as the bogeyman, saying the Plan would be much worse if he steps in and takes over. This “A bad plan is better than no Plan” position was also peddled by the previous Conservative administration.
It was refreshing to hear Conservative group leader Phil Turner counter, by saying he thought a Javid involvement might be a good outcome, not the "nuclear option" suggested. He said he thought Javid was someone he could have a sensible discussion with, someone who could be reasoned with, and it was also pointed out that Planning Policy regulations would apply to the government just as much as anyone else.
Residents were given the chance to air their views and there were many excellent speakers who superbly exposed many of the aspects of the Plan that made it so damaging to Billericay and the Borough as a whole.
| BAG chairman Mike Andrews made the point that in 2016 Billericay had overwhelmingly rejected the suggestion to put 1600 houses on our Green Belt, and the response has been to increase this by more than 80%. He argued that fairness and potentially the soundness of the Plan means that the previous ‘Regulation 18’ consultation should be re-run. This was an important technical and democratic point. |  BAG Chairman Michael Andrews addressing the IGD Committee and council members |
The committee did vote to recommend the Plan to Full Council, but made two changes, one relevant to Billericay, with all parties opposing by word or vote the ‘Relief Road’ through Frith Wood.
This is good news from an ecological perspective because it reduces the ecological impact of the road on the wood, though the wood will still be badly affected by the adjacent road and estate.
This change is welcome, but we still have a counter-productive Relief Road, and it will now weave it’s way through constricted Frithwood Lane which will inevitably become a congested pinch point. The road is conceptually flawed and it was encouraging to hear Conservative Councillors appear to take that on board.
We will still have nine large estates, three smaller developments and fifteen traveller pitches. We also learn that each pitch has room for considerably more than one caravan. We are pleased that our local Councillors appear certain to oppose this scale of development but note that every one of those estates, plus the Relief road, were present in their last consultation version of the Plan.
The Full Council meets this Thursday 22nd March and must decide whether to accept or reject this draft
This is good news from an ecological perspective because it reduces the ecological impact of the road on the wood, though the wood will still be badly affected by the adjacent road and estate.
This change is welcome, but we still have a counter-productive Relief Road, and it will now weave it’s way through constricted Frithwood Lane which will inevitably become a congested pinch point. The road is conceptually flawed and it was encouraging to hear Conservative Councillors appear to take that on board.
We will still have nine large estates, three smaller developments and fifteen traveller pitches. We also learn that each pitch has room for considerably more than one caravan. We are pleased that our local Councillors appear certain to oppose this scale of development but note that every one of those estates, plus the Relief road, were present in their last consultation version of the Plan.
The Full Council meets this Thursday 22nd March and must decide whether to accept or reject this draft
The meeting on Thursday 22nd March is at Basildon Sporting Village at 7:30 pm
It’s much more important than Monday’s meeting – please attend if you can!
(The button above takes you through to Basildon Council's website for the full meeting agenda)
It will be close, but it seems likely that Full Council will accept the Plan.
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If Full Council accepts the Plan, then it will be submitted to the Planning Inspector.
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There will be a final consultation, this one, ‘Regulation 19’ consultation when the comments are to be aimed at the Planning Inspector rather than at the Council as before.
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The town will then mobilise and the Inspector will be left in no doubt about the strength of feeling here or the strength of our case.
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Billericay Action Group.
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If Full Council accepts the Plan, then it will be submitted to the Planning Inspector.
|
There will be a final consultation, this one, ‘Regulation 19’ consultation when the comments are to be aimed at the Planning Inspector rather than at the Council as before.
|
The town will then mobilise and the Inspector will be left in no doubt about the strength of feeling here or the strength of our case.
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Billericay Action Group.
