Author Archives: John Roper

New Plan to Improve the River Mimram

Posted on by

David Cheek, of the Friends of the Mimram kindly submitted the following Report.

Plenty of projects planned to improve the River Mimram are about to start. Improving the quality of this rare chalk stream, the wildlife and our accessibility to enjoy it. From Jan 23rd see what’s happening at www.beaneandmimrampartnership.org.

The Friends of the Mimram, in conjunction with the Herts Middx Wildlife Trust have developed a Catchment Management Plan to improve the river quality to help meet EU Water Framework Directive guidelines and this is being presented as a dynamic website, which will evolve as the projects come to fruition. The projects have been developed in consultation with other local conservation groups, parish councils, Welhat Borough Council,   HCC and the Environment Agency.

One of the projects will start in Singlers Marsh this winter. Chalk streams should have crystal clear water flowing over gravel. After years of low flows, silt has built up to 2’ deep in the river at the top end and trees have overgrown keeping out the sunlight which stops vegetation growing. So HMWT have managed to get some funding for an Environment Agency plan to dig out the silt from a section of the river opposite the Vineyards and replace it with gravel, while also pollarding some trees to let in the light. The Friends of the Mimram will also clear some of the scrub away form the river bank and maintain a footpath along the river so that we can enjoy it. Meanwhile the Friends will also continue the work near Singlers Bridge to narrow the river slightly to increase the flow and achieve the same effect.

If the trial is successful, it will be extended upstream when more funds become available. More information on http://www.friendsofthemimram.co.uk/improvements.html.

All this assumes there will be water in the river – but we will have to keep on lobbying to achieve that.  See the latest on the Friends website http://www.friendsofthemimram.co.uk/campaign.html

Permitted Development Rights – ANTAS Objections

Posted on by

ANTAS (the Association of North Thames Amenity Societies) is an association of local civic societies working to ensure high standards of planning and architecture in our towns and villages, and working to preserve and care for our countryside.  WPAG is member of ANTAS  along with twenty two other civic and community groups across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

With the power of its membership behind it, ANTAS is a voice to be heard at the National level.

As part of the Consultation process, the ANTAS Chairman, (Mr Jon Green), has lodged objections to Mr Pickles, Secretary of State, about two aspects of the Government’s proposed planning reforms.

1) Permitted Development Rights

ANTAS challenges the thought that the proposed PDR’s will alleviate the country’s housing needs. The argument is that although small builders might regard it as good news that building works can proceed with more freedom from planning rules and regulations, i.e. at a faster tempo than before, there must be concerns that the very removal of conventional safeguards within local planning authorities’ procedures will allow potentially inappropriate private residential developments to creep in.

ANTAS give, as an example, the proposed relaxation of controls to permit (domestic) ground floor back extensions up to  6 and 8 metres without the need for local authority planning approval. Such easing of established local authority planning procedures could remove the opportunity for neighbours, and others, to register legitimate objections should they so wish on, for example, such important issues such as loss of amenity, or lessening of security,.

Similarly, ANTAS attack proposals to allow commercial premises to extend and build virtually up to their site boundaries without a planning check to consider the impact on neighbouring land users, or potential traffic and road safety implications where there is a presumption of increased site activity.

2) Major Infrastructure Developments

ANTAS attacks plans to remove into the hands of the Government’s Planning inspectorate, major infrastructural projects lodged with those local planning authorities who, compared to others, are deemed to be statistically low in terms of their ‘track record’ of speed of response and quality of action, i.e. their rate of ‘Refusals’. The criteria for taking such draconian steps is at this stage open to doubt and uncertainty, but of critical importance.

ANTAS argues that the obvious risk of such discipline, clearly intended, is to put pressure on planning departments to speed up their approval rate, potentially at the expense of care and attention to planning priorities.

Go to the ANTAS website to learn more about their work and objectives.

To learn more about the detail of the Government’s proposals, click Permitted Development Rights, or go to the Government Planning Portal on the Links page for information on a wide range of planning related subjects.

Singlers Marsh – New Year Project

Posted on by

A river enhancement project is planned to take place during January and February 2013 at the north end of Singlers Marsh. David Cheek, of the Friends of the Mimram volunteer group will be producing an article for this website which will detail the work being planned.

Our local volunteer group, the Friends of Singlers Marsh, manage projects which cover the southern ‘recreational’ end of Singlers Marsh, and the northern ‘Local Nature Reserve’ too. (The Friends of Singlers Marsh are represented on the WPAG Committee).

As you would expect, the Friends of Singlers Marsh work closely with the Friends of the Mimram, whose flow of interest naturally follows the full length of the River.

Singlers Marsh offers a unique amenity value to the community of Welwyn, not least as the site of the Annual Welwyn Festival Families’ Fun Day. Over the past year the WPAG has worked closely in support of the Friends of Singlers Marsh to encourage both the WHBC, and the Welwyn Parish Council (WPC), to respond to their responsibility for properly maintaining this priceless site.

(The WHBC are the Land Owners of Singlers Marsh, and the WPC pass on the costs of maintenance to us, the ratepayers, within their Annual Precept).

 

WPAG Website is Launched

Posted on by

Dear Member

In my first Chairman’s Report in October 2012, I stated my aim to give members of WPAG better value for their annual subscription. At the AGM members then responded positively and asked that your Committee does more to involve the membership in the broad debate on key planning issues.  We agreed to respond by finding ways of sharing, with you, much of the data and information that Committee members acquire.

I am pleased therefore to announce that we have now created this website which we will use as the primary tool for achieving these objectives. We hope very much that you will like this website, and use it.

Our new website is still at an early stage of development, but as you look around it, you will see that it already holds useful information. Alongside news items, the aim is to provide you with a convenient method for finding things out for yourself, so that as a member of WPAG you will a) be better informed on planning matters, and b) be able to use the website and join in the debate on live issues, with an appropriate Committee member.

The ‘Links‘ Page will take you to appropriate external websites, and we will gradually build up a ‘knowledge base‘ of our own, initially created by a series of articles entitled – ‘What is..’, or ‘What does..’.

We want your comments!  – It is important for all of us that when you have had a chance to look around the new website, you complete the ‘Comment’ boxes provided on many of the pages, so that we can be sure that you are happy with the form, shape, and style of the website, and that it reflects your wishes and aspirations as an existing member of WPAG. We hope it is self-evident that this website should place us in a stronger position to attract a new audience, and strengthen the WPAG membership for the future.

One final point to note. Although currently accessible by the general public,  ultimately www.wpag.org.uk will be a ‘Members Only’ site, but with a public face to encourage wider interest and applications to join WPAG . However, it will remain ‘public’ until the majority of those WPAG members who have email addresses, ‘subscribe’ (see below), and do become users. When that happens, we will introduce a ‘sign-on’ routine so that parts of the site will be accessible exclusively for paid-up members of WPAG only.

You can subscribe now, if you wish to, but we will soon be sending an email to members with an invitation to subscribe.

With thanks for your continuing interest and support.

John Roper
Chairman

30th November 2012

New Barnfield – Action Delayed

Posted on by

Hatfield energy-from-waste scheme on hold

The Planning Portal reports on 22nd November 2012 that the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has issued a holding instruction preventing any further action by Hertfordshire County Council over an energy-from-waste scheme at Hatfield, while the minister considers whether to intervene.

What is/are – Permitted Development Rights?

Posted on by

Permitted Development Rights

The Government’s Planning Portal guide details the certain types of minor changes that can be made to your house without needing to apply for planning permission. These are called Permitted Development Rights.  They derive from a general planning permission granted not by the local authority but by Parliament. Bear in mind that the permitted development rights which apply to many common projects for houses do not apply to flats, maisonettes or other buildings.

In some areas of the country, known generally as ‘designated areas’, permitted development rights are more restricted. If you live in a Conservation Area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads, you will need to apply for planning permission for certain types of work which do not need an application in other areas.

There are also different requirements if the property is a listed building.

To learn more about the detail of what is, or is not, click here, Permitted Development Rights, or go to the Government Planning Portal on the Links page for information on a wide range of planning related subjects.

What is – a Local Development Framework (LDF)?

Posted on by

Planning involves making decisions about the future of our cities, towns and countryside. This is vital to balance our desire to develop the areas where we live and work with ensuring the surrounding environment isn’t negatively affected for everyone. It includes considering the sustainable needs of future communities.

The planning system in England requires each local planning authority to prepare a local development framework – a folder of documents outlining how planning will be managed for that area.

In determining planning applications, local planning authorities  must have regard to their LDF.

Go to the WHBC LDF site for local details.

Go to the Planning Portal (Links Page) to learn more about the plan-led system.

 

What is – National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)?

Posted on by

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

The National Planning Policy Framework was published on 27 March 2012. This is a key part of Government reforms to make the planning system less complex and more accessible, to protect the environment and to promote sustainable growth.

Visit the Planning Portal to get up-to-date with current planning principles.

Go to the Links page for the Planning Portal, to learn more about the planning system in England, including information about planning permission and how you can get involved in local decision making.

Planning the future of Welwyn Hatfield – Emerging Core Strategy 2012 Consultation

Posted on by

The Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is carrying out public consultation on the Emerging Core Strategy from Monday 12 November 2012 to Friday 18 January 2013

The Emerging Core Strategy sets out the council’s preferred strategy for planning in the borough over the next 15 years and if adopted will be the key planning document in the Local Plan.

The Emerging Core Strategy and accompanying documents and the list of consultation events are now available to view online at www.welhat.gov.uk/localplan2012.

The evidence base for these documents is available to view online at http://www.welhat.gov.uk/evidencebase.

As discussed at the WPAG AGM in October 2012 we plan to undertake tripartite discussion and debate with the Welwyn Parish Council, and the Welwyn Parish Plan Action Group, and respond in conjunction with them.

The necessary arrangements have been put in place we will hope to keep you up-to-date with our progress.

In the meantime, please take the time to read through the salient points in the WHBC documents whose links are given above, and let us have your comment in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box below, in good time. Thanks.

Neighbourhood Plans – A Tactical Dilemma

Posted on by

Neighbourhood Plans – a tactical dilemma

The following article by Jon Green was addressed to ANTAS members, and recently published in their Newsletter

With the increasing interest in exploring the pros and cons of pursuing a Neighbourhood Plan a tactical question will soon arise in the civil parish of Welwyn , which spreads over three  physically separate settlements, linked administratively but with distinctly different characters.

The question will be whether to develop smaller and localised Neighbourhood Plans for each settlement which would perhaps bring greater community involvement in preference to a ‘composite’ Plan for the entire parish, which might appear more logical to our Borough Council but risk a weaker identity across our disparate community.

Practical issues such as the attitude of our local authority and the costs of preparation and implementation are clearly likely to be the determining factors, but it will be helpful to learn the views and better still the experience of members who have faced a similar quandary.

Jon Green