Planning application from the Church Commissioners for field off Roughmoor Lane Consultation opportunities

I promised to keep everyone in the community informed about the Church Commissioners’ intention to apply for outline planning permission to build up to 60 houses on the large field by Roughmoor Lane. Your parish councillors are very keen that everyone can have their say on this major development and were hoping to have an exhibition in the Village Hall followed by a face to face or hybrid question and answer session with the Commissioners’ representatives in January.

In the light of the likelihood of further restrictions on meeting indoors being introduced after Christmas, the Commissioners are now planning for a virtual consultation.

The plan is as follows. They are currently constructing a website which will include their detailed plans for the site and consultation questionnaires for villagers to ask questions and state opinions. This will be live for an initial two weeks for comment from 12 Jan. The site will remain live after this and so they commit to taking account of new comments beyond this period.

They also suggest a two hour Zoom consultation session for late afternoon/early evening on Thurs 20 Jan. Their representatives will include planning consultants, their highways specialist and their architect.

All this information will be included in a leaflet which they have undertaken to deliver to every house in Westbury on 4/5 January.

I have raised with them the issue that not everyone is confident in using the internet, nor is everyone on line. They have undertaken to provide printed information for those who will want it, so I need members of our emergency plan distributors’ group to alert me to who needs hard copy and I will ensure the Church Commissioners get the names and addresses.

If you have initial comments on this suggested consultation process then do come back to me with them and I will ensure the Commissioners get them.

Meanwhile, despite our concerns about yet another coronavirus strain and the uncertainty of entering yet another year of the pandemic, I hope you will all have a truly Happy Christmas and a less stressful 2022.

Season’s greetings,

Sue
Sue Isherwood
Chair Westbury-sub-Mendip Parish Council