Re: The Public enquiry outcome : Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:32 pm
Jason wrote:
There has been talk of this land being taken out of green belt by WMDC. If they want to do this do they have to justify themselves to the government. If the PI answer is no then could the council take this land out of green belt anyway allowing the development to start and if so what are the times scales?
Sorry Jason, your post reminded me I had not replied to your PM questions!
The inspector looking the LDF, a lady called Shelagh Bussey, will report in February. The LDF hearings were started for a week and then will start again in January, once the Newmarket PI is concluded. The LDF proposes taking 51ha of land at Newmarket out of green belt and making it an employment land allocation. She has an easier time of it, her job is to decide if this is the correct site and if not, she has to suggest another rejected site she thinks is better. That is the hard bit... because there would not appear to be any!
So, the reality is that she will report in February, if she say that Newmarket should be taken out of green belt, then that is a strong indication that Harold Stephens, will probably pass the PI... but by no means a guarantee!
If she thinks Newmarket should not be take out of green belt and the rejected sites should have been chosen over Newmarket, then I would almost certainly think the PI will fail... but again, by no means a guarantee.
One planning inspector is listening to one case and the other planning inspector to the other... it is entirely possible they could disagree with each others findings!
If the PI fails though and Shelagh Bussey still removes Newmarket from the green belt, also possible, then Yorkcourt get to build units and not a stadium... that would please the objectors! Hence the reason why the PI is so important!
For what it worth, I still think they will both pass Newmarket... but I am Mr Positive!
So, the answer is... we have to fight the PI & the LDF hearings and hopefully the answer will be yes on both!