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Consultation
on Proposed Travellers Sites
Epping Forest District Council has published a consultation on
proposals for a significant increase in travellers sites in the
district. A number of these
proposed sites are adjacent to North Weald Airfield. One in particular is off Merlin Way,
the main access road to the airfield.
The proposal is for 4 permanent pitches and up to 30 “transit” pitches for those
travellers evicted from other illegal sites. The proposed site is on
land that arguably could be far better used for the development of a
small business park, hotel, leisure facilities or other purpose that
would complement the future development of the airfield for aviation, business
and leisure use. To lose this land to a travellers site could have a
seriously negative effect on the future development of the airfield for
the aviation, business and leisure uses mentioned above and, as a
result, be detrimental to its future as a whole.
If you would like to object to these proposals you can complete
the questionnaire on the EFDC website:
http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/Council_Services/planning/forward_planning/GandT/submit_your_views.asp
The questionnaire itself can be found here:
http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/gypsies_and_travellers_consultation.asp
Question 17 refers to the site on Merlin Way, which would have
the greatest impact on the airfield.
The related consultation documents can be found here:
http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/Library/files/planning/gypsies_and_travellers/Options_paper_GTDPD_web%2027Nov08.pdf
The consultation period has been extended to 5 pm on 20th
February 2009.
Once again we
thank you for your support.
Government
says NO to
Airfield Housing Development !
Dear Supporter
As you are probably already aware, the Government’s
response to the EiP (Enquiry in Public held in 2006 when we asked
everyone to make their original representations) was made public
several months ago. At the time we reported that we were cautiously
optimistic, in that the Inspector appeared to have accepted our and
others arguments against the development of North Weald Airfield for
housing, and that this was reflected in the Government’s final draft
which was subsequently published for consultancy.
The North Weald Airfield Users Group (NWAUG) is now
delighted to inform you that on Monday 12 May the East of England
Regional Assembly, at long last, published their final version of the
East of England Plan.. The NWAUG has studied this not inconsiderable
document and are pleased to say that it contains no recommendations for
any development at North Weald Airfield.
This is the best possible outcome we could have
hoped for and it therefore looks as if the future of North Weald
Airfield is secure for the time being.
In particular we would like to express our
appreciation to Peter Kember of Kember, Louden, Williams, who
represented us at the Examination in Public (EiP) last year. Without
his superb presentation, and your financial support for it, the result
of the EiP would probably have been very different.
The Users Group will, of course, continue to monitor
the situation at North Weald and in the mean time we would like to
thank all of you who have assisted us with letter writing, support and
fund raising over the last few years.
Without your help the outcome would have been
unthinkable.
Thank you from everyone at the NWAUG
June 2008.
The North Weald
Airfield Users Group
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