20th December 2017

Dear Grove Fields Residents Association (GFRA) member.

Here are the headline discussion topics:

  1. Our response to the public consultation has been submitted
  2. What happens in the New Year?
  3. Do we need further planning consultant advice?
  4. Fund raising and membership growth
  5. Recent erection of metal fencing in Grove Fields

More detail behind each of the headlines is contained within the email below.


1. Our response to the public consultation has been submitted

Thank you for the donations and the working group effort that made the production of the attached GFRA report possible. Our report states Dacorum has not fully explored all alternatives before recommending the release of the green belt for housing development. Our report recommends that over the next 19 years, the scale of housing development for Tring should be 300 houses in addition to the 500 already committed. Hemel Hempstead, after years of investment in infrastructure, should take the majority of new housing in Dacorum. Our response is very closely aligned with that of Tring Town Council; they have proposed that TR-H5 (Land at Dunsley Farm) is developed with a mixture of employment, housing development and playing fields.


2. What happens in the New Year?

Dacorum will review the public consultation feedback, including our report, between now and Spring 2018. Dacorum will then issue a draft local plan for consultation. The draft local plan will recommend the actual number and location of houses to be built in Tring. At this time, we will either need to make the case for the Grove Fields (TR-H1 to TR-H3) to be removed from the draft plan or continue to make the case for them not to be added to the plan. The landowners of the Grove Fields will be represented at this next stage, lobbying for their land to be included in the final local plan. Once the local plan is finalised by Dacorum it will be submitted to representatives of Central Government to examine their recommendations.

 

3. Do we need further planning consultant advice?

Developing the attached report with the planning consultant required a significant amount of effort: reviewing the draft response from the planning consultant and a significant amount of effort consolidating individual feedback in to a single response from the GFRA. The planning consultant developed the 'master' document and incorporated knowledge of the strategic planning process. Having seen the final report, we welcome feedback from the membership as to whether you feel such an investment of funds is good value for money or whether you feel we should respond without the support of a planning consultant. If you feel we should respond without planning consultant support then please let us know if you are prepared to help research and write our response to the draft local plan.

The Committee will listen to your feedback on this question and make a decision early in the New Year.

 

4. Fund raising and membership growth

We have received £9,365 in voluntary donations from 206 of our 325 members. We made £3,000 profit at the fundraising event on Friday 1st December. This provides a total of £12,365. The first report from the planning consultant cost the GFRA £10,000.

Therefore, we have £2,365 remaining in the GFRA bank account. If we decide we need further planning consultant support, in Spring 2018, we estimate that we will need £10,000 to respond to the draft single plan. Therefore, if we decide we need this support we will need to raise a further £7,635 to commission the planning consultant. We would appreciate your ideas on how we can raise these funds if they are required.

 

5. Recent erection of metal fencing in Grove Fields

Two sections of 2 metre high metal fencing have been erected on the border of Grove Fields. They have been used to close a gap in the natural hedgerow on Bulbourne Road and Grove Road. The GFRA has asked Dacorum whether the fencing should be allowed under permissible development and this is currently being investigated. The Enforcement Case Officer investigating is Edward Arnold and he is contactable at edward.arnold@dacorum.gov.uk. His boss is Philip Stanley and is contactable on planning.enforcement@dacorum.gov.uk. The case reference number is E/17/00515.


Merry Christmas to you and your family.


The GFRA Committee.

20th December, 2017.

Grove Fields Residents Association

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