Eco-town first stage to go ahead?

The EDP has reported that the first phase of the Rackheath eco-town will go ahead in spite of government cut backs. Andrew Proctor from Broadland District Council has said that the money given by the previous government is now in the bank and no-one has asked for it back so they intend to spend it on pushing ahead with the eco-town.

The EDP article repeated twice Grant Shapps promise that :

“We will back genuine new eco-town or eco-village developments, which have broad-based local support and are genuinely environmentally sustainable. We will not impose eco-town developments (through national planning rules) on communities which do not want them.”

So where is your mandate to proceed Mr Proctor?

You know the majority of local residents in Rackheath and Salhouse do not want this development to go ahead so you have to go further afield to gain support for your ideas. Of course people in Brundall etc are quite happy to support development elsewhere - they don't think it will affect them and they have only very limited growth proposed in their localities. Go out as far as Aylsham and surrounding villages and the impact of the proposed development will undoubtedly feel less relevant to those communities. Why should they oppose the idea when they see that their lives and countryside will not be suffering unduly. So just who are the Nimbys????

Grant Shapps has said it is the local communities who should decide - local means the folk who live in the area which will be affected and BDC already know that they don't have the support of the majority of the local communityl, so why are they pushing ahead?

3 comments:

  1. You are dealing here with ego's.Some members of BDC have got themselves into a tight corner and now have no exit strategy(they had no"plan B" at a certain recent planning inspectors enquiry remember)to save face. Instead they feel they have to carry on pushing ahead with this greatly unpopular plan against very strong local opposition, despite not having had a mandate from their public or indeed approval of their plans from the planning inspectors. Never mind,its only tax payers money they are spending,so no problem there then.!

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  2. What ever makes you think that Broadland Council will ever listen to their residents. All their consultations are a waste of time and money as they and their developers have already made their minds up ages ago. Interesting at the Charrette last night to hear the Eco designs rubbished by the American consultant.

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  3. It's disappointing that residents of Norfolk can't stick together over this. If they don't then it will be divide and conquer. Salhouse one year, Wymondham the next and your doorstep the year after.

    Time to up the game I think, lawyers, peaceful protests, fundraising and what have you. If BDC will not do their jobs i.e. representing the public who voted them in, then it's time to say look here remind them they won't get voted back in next time.

    Good luck folks

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