This page contains copies of previous updates for future reference.
Update 17 February 2009, superseded 23 March 2009 MBDC have forwarded us the following update with regards the consultation timetable: "Mid Beds Local Development Framework Member Task Force met last week (12 February) and is recommending to the Executive on Wednesday 18 March that Officers should reconsider the existing proposed Gypsy and Traveller sites. This is because the Task Force doubt that the requirement to find five additional pitches (recommended in the Panel Report following the Examination in Public into the draft RSS policy) and a possible requirement for a transit site can be met from the range of sites currently being considered. It is recommending that a review of the present range of sites be undertaken together with a further search to establish if there are other suitable sites that can contribute to the requirement to find (the new total of) 27 pitches and a transit site within Mid Beds by 2011. This therefore delays the publication of the Draft Submission document, which we had originally hoped to have agreed by Executive in March and subsequently published in May 2009. When this investigation is concluded any new proposals will be consulted on in summer 2009 (as another Issues and Options consultation) and the responses considered along with those we have already received on the sites consulted on to date. The Draft Submission will be published some months after that, towards the end of 2009. Please note, this is subject to agreement of the Executive on 18 March 2009." We have asked for information on how this will tie-in with the amalgamation of Mid Beds District Council and South Beds District Council (who are currently carrying out a similar exercise to locate 50 pitches within their district) to form Central Bedfordshire Council. Update 22January 2009, superseded 17 February 2009 MBDC have forwarded us the following statement following articles in local and national media: "National media reports implying that Mid Beds "binned" 90% of comments to our consultation early in 2008 are completely incorrect. Only 5% of the 3500 responses contained solely discriminatory comments and could not be considered at all, and these people were given an opportunity to resubmit their comments. Just over half of the 3500 responses contained a mix of valid objections which were considered but also included some discriminatory elements that had to be disregarded. This method of dealing with representations followed advice from the Royal Town Planning Institute, the council’s legal and equalities officers, and an external advisor. The issue of "fear of crime" is a sensitive though regularly stated one. We are aware of reported problems associated with some Gypsy and Traveller sites and illegal encampments, but the council cannot refuse to allocate sites to meet the genuine accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community on the basis of incidents which may be experienced elsewhere. We have a statutory duty to provide sufficient new homes for all sections of the community, settled and travelling, and we are trying to satisfy this duty responsibly by selecting the most appropriate sites available locally. Any residents with specific ongoing concerns about previous comments can write to us by 6 February and we will re-examine their earlier responses. It should be noted though that some of these responses related to possible sites, which did not make the shortlist of sites published late last year. Residents can write to the Council (address below) or email ldf@midbeds.gov.uk. Local Development Framework
Team The most recent consultation on shortlisted sites has just closed and officers are now considering all the comments made and will reconsider previous comments made throughout the process before reaching a final list of sites. A final list of sites will be presented to Mid Beds Executive for their consideration in March and subject to their agreement, the Draft Submission Document will then be published in the Spring. More information on how Mid Beds District Council are consulting upon how to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers can be found at the www.talktomidbeds.co.uk website."
Update 11 January 2009, superseded 22 January 2009 The deadline for submitting responses to the consultation has passed (7 January 2009). Vision TwentyOne and Mid Beds District Council will be analysing the responses submitted. Based on these responses, the draft Development Plan Document will be formally published for a 6-week period prior to its submission to the Secretary of State. An examination will then be held by an independent Planning Inspector to assess whether the document is ‘sound’. As soon as we are aware of the programme for the above or any other facts, they shall be published on this website. Update 19 December 2009, superseded 11 January 2009 Mid Beds District Council Draft Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan: Preferred Options consultation Mid Beds District Council (“MBDC”) and their external consultant, VisionTwentyone, published their Draft Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document (“DPD”): Preferred Options consultation on 17th November 2009. The documentation is available on the Talk To Mid Beds website and the consultation will run until 7 January 2009. This includes a shortlist of 6 sites (providing a total of 22 pitches) to meet local Gypsy and Traveller need and one site (providing 6 pitches) to meet Travelling Showpeople need across the District, and includes the local sites at Arlesey and Stotfold, at both of which 4 pitches are proposed, details of which that can be found here. Following the public exhibitions, Stotfold Town Council have arranged a public meeting to discuss the Stotfold Site as below:  Comments on the consultation proposals can still be submitted in a number of ways:
ACTION REQUIRED: We strongly recommend that all residents take part in the consultation offering their views and comments on both sites, as well as on the draft of the planning policy. We will be reviewing the information provided and will provide updates as and when further details are confirmed. Should you have any comments or information that would be of use to us and others in submitting their responses, please contact us by email at fpra@btinternet.com. In corresponding on this issue, please note the advice on the Talk to Mid Beds website: “It is very important that all comments on this subject (and indeed all other LDF matters) concentrate on planning issues. The grounds on which people can legitimately object to any development are set out on the Mid Bedfordshire District Council website, the Talk to Mid Beds website and in the Councils widely distributed leaflet “Explaining Planning”. “ Update 17 November 2008, superseded 19 December 2009 Mid Beds District Council Draft Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan: Preferred Options consultation
Mid Beds District Council (“MBDC”) and their external consultant, VisionTwentyone, today published their Draft Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document (“DPD”): Preferred Options consultation. The documentation is available on the Talk To Mid Beds website and the consultation will run until 7 January 2009. This includes a shortlist of 6 sites (providing a total of 22 pitches) to meet local Gypsy and Traveller need and one site (providing 6 pitches) to meet Travelling Showpeople need across the District. The shortlist includes the local sites at Arlesey and Stotfold, at both of which 4 pitches are proposed, details of which that can be found here. This shortlist is not finalised and MBDC is seeking comments to inform the final version of the DPD to be submitted early next year. The consultation report states that the “sites allocated through the DPD are intended to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers who are already part of the Mid Beds community and residing in the district. Allocating well managed sites will not only prevent the need for unauthorised encampments which often cause conflict with the settled community and can cost the council money if legal action has to be taken, but will also improve access to health and education for Gypsy and Traveller families currently living on unauthorised sites.” The consultation also includes a draft of the planning policy that will set the criteria to enable MBDC to determine planning applications for Gypsy and Traveller development. Comments on the consultation proposals can be submitted in a number of ways:
We understand that following the consultation all the responses will be assessed; “The draft DPD will then be formally published for a 6-week period before it is submitted to the Secretary of State. An examination will then be held by an independent Planning Inspector to assess whether the document is ‘sound’.” ACTION REQUIRED: We strongly recommend that all residents take part in the consultation offering their views and comments on both sites, as well as on the draft of the planning policy. We will be reviewing the information provided and will provide updates as and when further details are confirmed. Should you have any comments or information that would be of use to us and others in submitting their responses, please contact us by email at fpra@btinternet.com. In corresponding on this issue, please note the advice on the Talk to Mid Beds website: “It is very important that all comments on this subject (and indeed all other LDF matters) concentrate on planning issues. The grounds on which people can legitimately object to any development are set out on the Mid Bedfordshire District Council website, the Talk to Mid Beds website and in the Councils widely distributed leaflet “Explaining Planning”. “ Update dated 8 November 2008, superseded 17 November 2008. Following a meeting of Mid Beds District Council (MBDC) Local Development Framework team on Thursday 6th November 2008, we have been informed that they are to submit changes to the proposed sites for Gypsy & Travellers to MBDC's Executive. If approved, these are to be considered as part of the Preferred Options consultation rescheduled to take place between 17th November 2008 and 7th January 2009:
Proposed change to Arlesey site The proposed site is to be relocated from the West Drive site to the old Fountain Pub site on Hitchin Road, Arlesey - approximately 0.8 miles south of the West Drive/High Street junction. The number of pitches allocated to Arlesey is to be reduced from 6 to 4. Proposed change to Stotfold site The site is to be relocated from Hitchin Road to a plot of land just north of the A507, between Stotfold and the A1. The maximum number of pitches proposed for this site is expected to be 4, however the actual number is dependent on the chosen access route to the site, which is still to be confirmed. Preferred Options consultation We strongly recommend that all residents take part in the upcoming consultations offering their views and comments on both sites. Please note that the above changes are not final and are be subject to MBDC's Executive approval and the responses received during the subsequent consultation. As further details of the sites and the consultation are received we will update this site. Update dated 4 November 2008, superseded 8 November 2008.
Mid Beds District Council and their consultants, Vision TwentyOne, have confirmed that the Preferred Options consultation previously postponed has been rescheduled to take place between 17th November 2008 and 7th January 2009.
In their email to FPRA, they explain that, "Two rounds of Issues and Options consultation have already taken place on sites submitted for consideration, with over 4000 people responding. The responses made last year have been used to inform this current Preferred Options consultation. Having considered all the sites consulted on last year and a few new sites which have emerged since then, the Council is now publishing its preferred shortlist. This shortlist includes 6 sites (providing a total of 22 pitches) to meet local Gypsy and Traveller need. Also included is one site (providing 6 pitches) to meet Travelling Showpeople need across the District. The shortlist is not yet finalised and the Council is now seeking comments to inform the final version to be completed early next year."
It is understood that both the Arlesey and Stotfold sites are included in the shortlist; according to the email received, this will be confirmed shortly.
FPRA have been invited to an invitation-only briefing session on the consultation on Tuesday 18th November. All information gained at this meeting and through other sources will be uploaded to this website as soon as possible for information.
A copy of the email in full is available here as document A. Update dated 23 September 2008, superseded 4 November 2008.
As you will probably be aware, over the last eighteen months, Mid Beds District Council (MBDC) has been preparing a Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document (DPD). The requirement is to address the needs of the Gypsy and Travellers in Mid Beds; identifying sites and including planning policies against which development will be determined. This equates to allocating sufficient land for 22 pitches across the District to accommodate local Gypsy and Traveller groups and Travelling Showpeople.
Two rounds of Issues and Options consultation have taken place on sites submitted for consideration. MBDC are now putting forward 6 sites in the District to provide the 22 pitches including both the West Drive and Arlesey Road sites. Vision Twentyone (an external consultant) will now undertake a further consultation on the Draft Gypsy and Traveller DPD, originally scheduled to run for a 6 week period - from September 29th – it has now been postponed for 4-6 weeks whilst MBDC and Vision Twentyone finalise the documentation. A briefing session on the forthcoming consultation process is planned prior to the consultation, led jointly by Vision Twentyone and officers from Mid Beds District Council. FPRA, FHRA and the local Councillors will be represented at this meeting and we plan to share any information obtained. Following a meeting with Alistair Burt MP and the local District and County Councillors, we understand that as well as the written consultation process, public consultation events are planned, at which the public will be able to meet representatives of Vision Twentyone and record their views. Details of these events are to be announced. [Please note those scheduled for October 10 and 14 have been postponed.] Over the last few months Fairfield Park Residents Association (FPRA) members have been reviewing the publicly available information of Mid Beds District Council’s Local Development Framework Task Force (hereafter referred to as MBDC LDF TF) in relation to these proposed sites. The purpose of the FPRA review was to obtain as much information as possible relating to the process and activities undertaken to date and to make this information available to the local community so as to be fully informed. FPRA also submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act seeking responses to questions arising from the review of the MBDC LDF TF meetings of 6 December 2007, 10 April 2008 and 8 May 2008. We have received responses to all the questions raised and the associated documentation will be made available online shortly. We ask that those with an opinion on the location of these sites use the available information to have their say. Any assistance in reviewing this information in detail is very much appreciated. - end - |