1. PLAN BACKGROUND

As an inhabitant of the village of Pirton I consider that I have been:

adequately consulted by those who have prepared the Neighbourhood Plan;

have been kept fully informed as it involved,

and, most significantly, I fully support it as it undergoes Regulation16 consultation.

We support the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan.

Thank you for your request to provide a representation on the above consultation document. When consulted on land-use planning matters, HSE where possible will make representations to ensure that compatible development within the consultation zones of major hazard establishments and major accident hazard pipelines (MAHPs) is achieved.

We have concluded that we have no representations to make on this occasion. This is because our records show that the Pirton Parish boundary and the land within does not encroach on the consultation zones of major hazard establishments or MAHPs1. As no encroachment has been detected, HSE does not need to be informed of the next stages in the adoption of the Pirton Parish Neighbourhood Plan.

Thank you for consulting us on the above neighbourhood plan

We have reviewed the draft plan last year and could not identify any constraints within our remit for us to comment on.

Therefore we do not wish to make any representations at this stage.

Thank you for consulting AVDC on the Submission of the Draft Pirton Neighbourhood Development Plan, in this instance the Council has no comments to make.

We wish you the best of luck at referendum.

I am writing on behalf of the county council as the Minerals and Waste planning Authority, to make comments regarding the 'Pirton Neighbourhood Development Plan'. Further to our comments sent in May 2016, regarding the pre- submission version of the plan, the county council would like to reiterate the following:

It was previously noted that the Neighbourhood Plan Area is not located within the sand and gravel belt but is partially covered to the east by the North of Hitchin mineral resource block, where there is potential for the extraction of sand and gravel. This area is identified by the county council as a Mineral Consultation Area.

This is an area of the county where particular care is needed to prevent the unnecessary sterilisation of sand and gravel resources. In these areas, before planning applications are decided by the district or borough councils, the county council will be given the chance to consider whether the development proposed would lead to unacceptable sterilisation of mineral resources. Minerals Policy 5: Sterilisation, of the adopted Minerals Local Plan 2002-2016 addresses the need for prior extraction of minerals to ensure that the resource is not sterilised.

The mineral resource block and mineral resource block buffer is shown in the county council's adopted Mineral Consultation Areas, Supplementary Planning Document. The county council recommends viewing the Supplementary Planning Document and associated maps for future reference; please follow the link provided below: http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/envplan/plan/hccdevplan/mlp/mineralsconsareas/
There are no operating waste facilities recorded by the county council within the Neighbourhood Plan Area or its immediate boundaries to be aware of at this present time.
Waste matters will need to be taken into account as the county council's Minerals and Waste Local Plans form part of the Development Plan as defined in section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Planning Act 2004. New development and growth of an area results in the generation of waste and this will be an important aspect needing consideration in due course, in addition to the need to avoid the sterilisation of minerals.
As such the Neighbourhood Plan should refer to the following documents:
* Waste Core Strategy and Development Management Policies document 2011-2026, adopted November 2012;
* Waste Site Allocations document 2011-2026, adopted July 2014; and
* Minerals Local Plan 2002-2016, adopted March 2007.

I am a current serving Parish Councillor and have been for over 20 plus years, bar a couple of breaks; living locally all of my life and with a passion for the Village.

My reason for joining the steering group was for a say in the process of future growth in the village of Pirton with the right type of housing being built in the right parts of the village.
Myself and a colleague were removed from the NDP steering group for our views as we were concerned that the NDP was not being conducted correctly.
In a nutshell the "nimbys" had taken over. You will see this once you have read the NDP draft and received the numerous letters from unhappy landowners within the NDP designated area.
I wish to strongly object to the poor process and bias way it has been conducted from the very start.

Below are my main objections;

Members of the public/parishioners were not fully briefed nor do they understand the planning process/local plan. They were then asked to complete a "loaded " questionnaire drawn up by the NDP steering group and the analysis carried out by a Family member.

No proper consultation and dialogue with landowners from the beginning, despite numerous experts and Locality, DCLG, who said they should be involved and also on the steering group.

Not one site has been identified for future development within the draft plan, and the sub-working group of the NDP steering group looking at "landownership and potential development " was quickly folded after one initial meeting of which I saw at first hand the anti - development nature of this steering group. I was shouted down for even mentioning the word development!
It also took them a long time to use the term NDP not NP. !!

The village has been surrounded by Visual Character Areas which blocks any future expansion of the village, which has already been heavily infilled. The expert stated to us that we should have one or two VCA`s as any more defeats the objective.

There is a cap on future developments of 30 units/houses, but where will these sites go? As none as previously stated have been identified. NHDC themselves even advised against putting a limit of 30 along with independent experts who were consulted during their Regulation 14 submission.

The draft NDP will be superseded by the NHDC Local Plan which is currently being prepared. This draft doesn't conform in respect of housing growth over the next 15 Years plus.

I understand the Housing White Paper will aim to have both Local and NDP'
Reviewed every 5 Years to cater for demographic and economic change, no mention of this in this NDP.

NHDC does not have a 5 year house/land supply and therefore the Local Plan is out of date. This is unlikely to be rectified until late 2018 or even 2019. Until then this village is vulnerable on the "presumption in favour principle "which could mean further planning applications.
This draws me to the conclusion that the NDP steering group have sadly, not listened to experts and had meaningful dialogue with the landowners, not explained the situation to residents and not made any attempt to identify sites where a reasonable number could be built.

The recreation ground is not included in the new Village boundary.

To summarise this draft NDP should be sent back for proper consultation with the Landowners and Parishioners otherwise I fear a "developer" will ride roughshod over a weak NDP and would through the planning process easily overturn this current Draft.

By not having dialogue with landowners we currently have one site which the landowner originally wanting to build 8 houses has now Outline permission for 82 houses and perhaps would have been happy with 50 houses. This was a direct result of no dialogue and an progressive planning consultant eventually brought in.
By objecting to everything and not looking at sensible growth and dialogue we are getting and going to get over development, the exact opposite of what this weak NDP is trying to achieve.

I am writing to express my support for the acceptance of the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan. There has been extensive communication between the residents of the village and the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan committee and as a result, I believe the plan conveys the requirements of villagers with regards current & future developments within Pirton

Having studied the plan I fully support the points made within the plan.

To confirm we have been adequately consulted on the Pirton neighbouhood plan and fully support its content and recommendations. And as such fully expect North Herts to back the wishes of the village.

I write in support of the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and its contents which have been exhaustively consulted on.

I believe it to be a fair and balanced document in its approach.

The work of those who prepared it is appreciated and I look forward to it being adopted thereby giving the village a proper template for its future development

Please accept this email as my full support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and the work that the Steering group has put into creating a document that meets the needs of the village and it's residents.

I fully agree with the Plan. There has been much consultation and debate at regular meetings in the village.

I would like to declare that in the course of the last nearly four years, I have been fully consulted with, and have been made aware of, every stage in the creation of the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan (PNP). In such circumstances, I fully acknowledge the work carried out by the Steering Group, and the regular consultation and engagement they have engendered with the parish community. The Neighbourhood Plan submitted under this consultation has my full support, and I sincerely hope this will become a reality.

I wish to express my support for the neighbourhood plan. The community was consulted about their opinions via questionnaires on more than one occasion. I responded to the questionnaire and am satisfied that the plan is representative of the views of the members of the community.

The draft plan was made available for residents of Pirton village to read and a recent consultation was held to inform villagers of the purpose and progress of the neighbourhood plan.

I support this plan.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood plan.

It represents the views of the community and has been the subject of huge consultation. there has been a significant and highly supportive response to it and the views in it are fairly representative of our community.

While it may have been felt that Pirton was anti development this plan demonstrates most clearly that this is not the case. As a community we recognise the need for more housing but that it should be in keeping with the nature of the village and reflect the needs of the community.

I have read the plan and agree with the content.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultations.

I have read the Plan, attended meetings and discussion re the content and fully endorse its content and policies.

I am writing to register my wholehearted support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan.

I have been living in the village for five years and have been hugely impressed by the dedication of the village residents to have some control over the future of their village. I have been extensively consulted in the creation of the plan. To my mind, it represents a balanced view of the wishes of the residents of the village, young and old.

The village is open to development as was evidenced by the consultation results, provided it is proportionate and sustainable in a village without many pavements and with limited services.

I agree with its contents and proposals, and I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan.

I am writing to confirm my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan which I have read and believe represents the views of the majority of Pirton residents. I have attended public meetings in which the developing plan was explained. I feel that I have been adequately consulted during the development process and I have been able to pass my views to the Pirton Neignbourhood Plan Steering Committee.

I wish to register my support for the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan as part of the Regulation 16 consultation.

I have no hesitation in doing this because:

* It represents the views of the community of Pirton and no other Pirton document or process has:
o been the subject of so much genuine consultation or
o received so much community response, or
o can be demonstrated to be more representative of the vast majority
o And no other process has received such a mandate from the community:
at least 80% of households and 76% of adults have been involved and have responded.
*90% of youths (10 to 15 years of age) took part.
*88% of the people living in Pirton believe that it is important to have a Neighbourhood Plan.
At the start of the process there was a fear that the Pirton community would simply take an anti-development stance, but this fear was groundless. The community have accepted the need for sustainable development and have produced a Neighbourhood Plan that reflects that mature and realistic stance and documents what is sustainable for Pirton and its community.

I have read the Neighbourhood Plan in detail and I agree with its content and policies, I urge you to accept the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan and to progress it to referendum at the earliest opportunity.

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I would wish to make a representation in relation to the Pirton Neighbourhood Development Plan (PNDP) and I contend that through the adoption of certain policies Pirton Parish Council has failed to meet the basic conditions for Neighbourhood Plans and other legal requirements.

Whilst I understand that the Examiner may wish to hold a public hearing, I confirm that I shall be prepared to submit further written representations if required by the Examiner. Would North Herts District Council please accept
this initial representation to include a request that I should be notified regarding North Hertfordshire District Council's decision under Regulation 19 (making a plan) to make the submitted neighbourhood plan for Pirton.

James F Sheridan FRICS and my company, Stratton Estates Ltd, have been retained by the estate and beneficiaries of the late Jonathan Weeden. In particular my instructions have been to promote the development of land opposite Rectory Manor Farm on Shillington Road, Pirton, extending to approx. 7.23 acres (2.924 hectares) known as site 064(N) or more recently PT1(N) by NHDC, and with title no XXXXX.

On behalf of the beneficiaries I wrote to Stephen Smith, clerk to Pirton Parish Council, on 4th February 2015 and stated that we wanted to make development representations under the proposed Pirton Neighbourhood Plan for the
Shillington Road land - no reply was received and no literature on the plan process was ever sent to me. I attended a public meeting on the draft plan on 19 April 2016 and in response to a question from a local landowner, Mr Phil Cooke, as to why landowners had not been consulted on the plan, the Chair of the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, Diane Burleigh, said that the Group had decided not to talk to owners and they were not interested in site allocations at all. I completed a response form which was posted on 13th May 2016 which pointed out that the Draft Plan claimed to support appropriate sustainable development, but the steering committee were refusing any contact with local landowners. With a plan period up to 2031 I believe this intransigence invalidates the whole PNDP process. A hastily arranged meeting for landowners was called at short notice by Diane Burleigh for 19 July 2016, but I do not believe this late effort at a token consultation was sufficient. Indeed it is not clear if the meeting ever took place or, if it did, who attended. Copy correspondence in relation to the above is available for the Examiner.

I request that the attached submission for Shillington Road by Vincent and Gorbing for the draft NHDC Local Plan should be considered as a future development opportunity in Pirton in relation to the PNDP and over the plan period of the PNDP. The lack of any consideration of possible site allocations in the PNDP is a serious weakness which I believe should be addressed by the Examiner.

May I also make the following detailed comments:

TCPA 1990 Schedule 4b para 4,para 6(2)(d) and NP (General) Regs 2012 Regulations 14 and 15(2)(a) - in view of what I have stated the qualifying body has not complied with the requirements regarding the scope of pre-submission consultation.

PCPA 2004 2004 Section 38A(2) - the PNDP is overly restrictive and does not set out policies in relation to the realistic development and use of land in the neighbourhood area. No sites are allocated for any housing development
even though Pirton is a Category A village (suitable for housing expansion) and not in the Green Belt.. There is a significant shortage of suitable, non Green Belt, housing sites in the North Herts District Council area. (Plan ref. 1.4.1 to 1.4.4)

PNP1 - the proposed (but not finalised) village development boundary is unduly restricting and should naturally extend to Shillington Road and Priors Hill to the north west. (Plan ref.1.1)
The 30 unit housing cap is arbitrary and illogical as it has no connection to the size of a site. It should be removed. (Plan ref.1.2)

PNP7 - Key views and vistas (and visual character areas) are restrictive and artificial and are designed to prevent any development. The impact of new developments on views should be assessed on an individual basis.

One of the most important of the criteria for a neighbourhood plan is: How the plan contributes to the achievement of sustainable development . The PNDP fails to achieve this goal and it does not support a strong. vibrant and healthy community, by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations.

I look forward to hearing the views of the Examiner and on behalf of my clients I propose that the PNDP should be deemed unacceptable in its present form.

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