Public Inqiry Starts 10 Jan 2012.

The Inquiry starts with opening speeches from the main parties; then it is open to members of the public to have a say if they want to do so. A lunch break is expected to be around 1pm (for an hour), and the first day will close at around 5pm.

Subsequent days will start at 9:30. The Inquiry does not sit on Mondays, and aims to finish at lunchtime on Fridays. It is expected to take 8 of its working days overall so it's due to conclude on Friday 20th January.

During this time, interested members of the public are free to attend (You can come and go as you wish during the days the Inquiry in taking place. There will be a theatre-style public seating area at the back of the room)

Members of the public attending on the first day (10th Jan) and wishing to speak from a prepared text are asked to bring four copies of it with them to pass out to the main parties as well as the Inspector. (This makes it easier for the Inspector to focus on what is said rather than having to note it down as you speak)

Pre Inqiry Meeting Held.

The Public Inquiry proper will begin at 9:30am on Tuesday 10th January 2012 and it will be held in 'The Studio' - one of the rooms in Lowther Pavilion at Lytham.

The Inquiry is expected to last for 8 days (excluding Monday), and the Fridays will finish at lunchtime, but other days will be a 5 ish finish, so it's due to conclude on Friday 20th January.

During this time, interested members of the public are free to attend (You can come and go as you wish during the days the Inquiry in taking place. There will be a theatre-style public seating area at the back of the room)

Members of the public attending on the first day (10th Jan) will be able to make a statement and have their say at the Inquiry (The inspector asked if people are speaking from a prepared text, it would be helpful if they could bring three or four copies of it with them to pass out to the main parties as well as the Inspector. This makes it easier for the Inspector to focus on what you say rather than having to note it down as you speak)

People who are registered to receive emailed news from QED will be contacted before the Inquiry,  and there might be a meeting arranged nearer the time for anyone interested in / willing to speak at the Inquiry to help formulate arguments about the things you might want to cover.

After the first day, only the main parties to the appeal are able to speak, but the public can still attend to observe and listen as the case unfolds.

There will be three official parties at the Inquiry, Kensington who are the appellant. FBC who are the Local Planning Authority, and Lancs. County Council who have applied to themselves for permission to build the road(s)

People who don't plan to attend, or speak, but would like their views to be considered can send a letter - preferably before 12 December - saying what they want the Inspector to consider. We would advise anyone wanting to do this to wait a couple of weeks if possible because we hear that Kensington is about to release a new masterplan that will have some things shown differently, and it would be sensible to see what that contains. It's also expected that a new Environmental Statement will be published by Kensington (and possibly also by Lancashire County Council highways) on or shortly after 7th November, so again it would be useful to see what that says.

Public inquiry to reopen and Moss road decision called in.

The date of the re-opened public inquiry is not yet known but we'll keep you posted when we hear anything.

ERIC PICKLES STEPS IN

Red faces at County Hall we think, and vindication for the three councillors who proposed deferment.

LCC CONSIDERS MOSS ROAD APPLICATION Mk2

LCC'S FLOODPLAIN COMPENSATION AREAS

Click the image to see an enlarged map.

This map is based on the one published by LCC in their official document set. Follow this link to LCC's Planning application document set.

Despite LCC's statement that "...the excavated material is placed elsewhere at less than 30cm high" readers will see from the relative sizes of the areas that the brown area is roughly a quarter the size of the pink ones, and 30cm excavated from the pink area, spread over land that is about a quarter of its size, is likely to be in the order of four times as deep - we make that up to 1.2m higher for the brown area.

Queensway Rethink by minister

The provisions of the (RSS) must now to be taken into account, but it may be that little weight is attached to them in view of his published intention to abolish the RSS as part of the Localism Bill currently working its way through Parliament.

As part of his further consideration, the Secretary of State has invited further representations from anyone who made representation before, and he has enabled any of the main parties to ask for the inquiry to be re-opened. Further representations must be made within three weeks, by 16 March.

QED is assessing the implications of this situation and we will advise our Defenders and publish further advice shortly

In the interim, you can see document released by the Minister today in downloadable pdf format from the following link Minister's invitation for further representations

MOSS ROAD POSTPONED AGAIN

We have asked Defenders to consider making objection to the road application and to send it to

Jonathan.Haine@lancashire.gov.uk

quoting reference: 5/10/0779. (Please forward a copy to QED too). You will need to write by the end of Feb.

If you needs help advice or information as to how to object please contact at info@queensway.org.uk

You can view the application documents  if you visit LCC's planning website by following this link to the application

The date set for hearing by LCC's committee is 11 March.

CALA 2 refused

This means that whilst planners must take account of the RSS, the weight which they attach to the housing numbers and other policies in the RSS can be less than is attached to local plan policies.

MOSS ROAD POSTPONED

MOSS ROAD APPLICATION

CALA 1 Approved

This means that planners must now once again take account of the RSS, in their deliberations on planning permissions and appeals. And Mr Pickles will have to review his decision on Queensway in the light of this ruling.

However, the Secretary of State said that he did not anticipate much change in practice because he believed his intention to abolish the RSSs was, in itself, a material planning consideration and that could weigh more heavily than the RSS in planning applications and appeals

Cala Homes said they would challenge this in court as well.

Kensington Challenge

Minister's Decision

You can see the full story in the documents released today, we've provided them in downloadable pdf format

1. Planning Inspector's report

2. Ministerial decision

Minister's Decision Delayed

INQUIRY CONCLUDES

INQUIRY NEXT TUESDAY

19 Nov 2009

10:00am 24 November
The Bedford Hotel
Clifton Drive South
St Annes

INQUIRY DRAWS NEAR

12 Nov 2009

Following the closure of Pleasure Island, the Venue for the Inquiry has changed. It will now be held at:

10:00am 24 November
The Bedford Hotel
Clifton Drive South
St Annes

See our Press Statement about the meeting. (pdf)

KENSINGTON ISSUE YET MORE NEW DATA

12 Oct 2009

QED believes this information is unacceptably late in the process, and we have made representations to the planning inspectorate on this matter. We believe the inquiry should be delayed to allow all parties and consultees time to digest the changes that this new documentation has made. We also believe that because it changes the Environmental Statement, A further notice and 21 day consultation period ought to apply.

PRE-INQUIRY MEETING NOTES PUBLISHED

30 Sep 2009

Between now and the inquiry starting on 24th November QED will be preparing the highly technical proofs of the evidence we will give to the Inspector to show why Kensington's appeal should not be allowed.

We are also collecting names of people that might want to speak up on day 1 of the inquiry. If you would like to speak, please email us and we will explain how it all works.

KENSINGTON  ISSUE  NEW  DATA

17 Sep 2009

The revisions fill the equivalent of three lever-arch files

We have some reservations about whether they are allowed to change the environmental statement after submitting the appeal, but having highlighted this matter at the pre inquiry meeting, we must leave that decision to the inspector to determine.

Any interested party has 21 days to view and comment on the revised Environmental Statement. The printed form can be seen at FBC offices (or we can make copies available for viewing) and we believe they will shortly be online from the Council's website (although they are not published there at the present moment). If anyone wished to comment, they should do so to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol who are conducting the inquiry.

Pre Inquiry Meeting Report

16 Sep 2009

Appearing for Kensington was Roger Lancaster who said he would be calling 5 or 6 witnesses to give evidence on planning matters, the link road, nature conservation, landscape, and affordable housing.

Appearing for the Council was Ian Ponter whose witnesses would be Mark Evans (FBC Planning) Neil Stevens (LCC Highways) and Dr Sarah Manchester (LCC Ecologist)

QED has been granted Rule 6 Status and will appear as of right alongside the main parties. It will be calling witnesses to address: planning (2 witnesses), biodiversity and ecology, agricultural land and soil, character and appearance, commercial impacts and airport issues.

Dr Tim Melling of the RSPB also attended the meeting and asked for Rule 6 Status for the RSPB

The inspector noted a large number of objections from the public and that much of this involved concern about flooding and he asked that a further report on flooding be provided because he would have questions about it. He also expressed concern that someone from the airport should attend the inquiry to give evidence.

The inquiry proper will begin on Tues 24 November and last for 8 or 9 days until early December. (10 am to around 5pm).

He plans to open the meeting on 24th and hear the opening statements, and then to allow any member of the public time to make comments and observations on the plan. (This is a change from normal - public comments are usually on the last day)

QED asked the Inspector to formally note their concern that the Environmental Impact Assessment was defective. The also asked for the inspector's guidance about voluminous revisions to Kensington's Environmental Statement delivered the day before the inquiry started, especially about whether the ES could lawfully be amended once an appeal had been made, and whether the new and revised data should be advertised and consulted on. QED argued more time was needed to properly study the documents and that the timetable for the hearing should be revised.

The Inspector declined to comment at that time but noted the matter. Kensington accepted the need to advertise and consult on the revisions but did not want the timetable altering. It is likely there will be further news on this matter.

QED also raised a question about Kensington's legal status to make the appeal. The documentation had all emanated from "The Kensington PT Partnership" but no such company was registered at Companies House. A company called "The Kensington Property Trading Partnership" had been registered in the Isle of Man, but this appeared to have ceased to exist before the appeal was made. There was therefore some doubt as to whether the appellant had any legal status to bring the appeal and whether for example, if costs were to be awarded against them, they could be required to pay them if they did not exist. Mr Lancaster (for Kensington) undertook to look into the matter and advise further.

Pre Inquiry Meeting Fixed

27 Aug 2009

Introductions, Who’s who, The Inspector's team, the Inquiry manager, the main participants.

Scope of the Inquiry Applications and draft orders to be considered and procedural rules

Inquiry Programme Inquiry start date and basic format, Inquiry days and times, duration

Documents and Evidence Arrangements for Statements of Common Ground, Core Documents, Proofs of Evidence, Conditions, S106 Agreements and Unilateral Undertakings

Pre-Inquiry Programme Establishing the programme and any visits that may be needed by the Inspector

Administrative Matters: Inquiry venue and facilities, Inquiry web site(s), Document numbering and indexing

We understand this meeting is open to the public, so if you want to attend and listen to the proceedings you are welcome to do so.

FYLDE Refuse Planning Permission

17 Aug 2009

This means they will now contest the appeal brought by Kensington to be heard at the public inquiry in November.

If you haven't already written, and want to make your views know to the inspector PLEASE DO SO NOW. Follow this link for more details of how to object

FYLDE COUNCIL to DEBATE QUEENSWAY

4 Aug 2009

The good news is that Fylde's planning officers have said that if they were asked to make a decision at this time, based on the application and the information available to them, they would recommend refusal of the application. We hope the Committee will agree and contest the appeal with vigour.

You can go along and hear what your councillors have to say. The more people that turn up to listen the better, so please go if you can. It will take about an hour or two of your time.

You can also go along to the meeting and have three minutes to speak to the committee and tell them what you think of Kensington's plans. The more people that do this the more chance there is of them deciding to contest the appeal. To speak at the meeting you MUST register with Fylde Council in advance. It's not complicated, they just need your contact details and a brief outline of the issues you want to speak on. To register to speak to the Committee please follow this link.

If you can't get to the meeting, you could ring or email your Councillor and ask them to make the points on your behalf. Please click here for the Councillors Contact Details

SUBMISSION OF FURTHER OBJECTIONS

29 Jul 2009

We would encourage everyone to send further objections into the Planning Inspector as soon as possible and certainly before the end of August. Even if you didn't send a letter of objection to Fylde, you can now do so to the Planning Inspector. How to send an objection

Case Reference Allocated

21 Jul 2009

qed Accorded  'RULE 6'   STATUS

28 May 2009

KENSINGTON APPEAL

Up to now Kensington has been happy to take longer and work with Fylde to jointly find work-arounds for the objections that we and other people have raised.

This final straw seems to have been when English Nature expressed concern and asked for more information about the species and the links that they have to the Ribble and Alt Estuary - an internationally protected bird habitat

This means an inquiry will be held. At present we don't know when, or the format  (eg written representations or in public) or the scope, we only know it is happening after Kensington let slip they had appealed in evidence they gave to the Hollywood Nurseries Inquiry. More information when we have it

talk: The History of Lytham Moss - 25 Feb

CONSULTATION RESPONSES STILL ARRIVING

Councillors details added to website.

Formal OBJECTIONS period closed.

PERIOD FOR OBJECTIONS IS EXTENDED AGAIN.

QED's Objection is published

St Anne's Town Council object to plan

St Anne's Town Council To consider plan

Wednesday 10th December at 2:30pm
St Margaret's Church Community Centre
St Leonard's Road West
St Anne's

We urge all our supporters to attend the meeting and hear the Town Council debate what is probably the most important planning application in St Anne's for a long time..

FLOOD RISK IS REAL

 "To reduce the increased risk of flooding"

It therefore appears that the EA understand there is an increased risk of flooding as a result of this development, and that the run-off strategy will only reduce, not ELIMINATE the increased flood risk.

MISSING LETTER FROM FBC?

If you live at any of the following and have not had a letter about the application from the Council, we'd like to hear from you....

Heyhouses Lane 1-12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23 -38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 53, 54, 56, 59, 62-65, 67, 69, 70, 71, 73, 75, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101,103, 105, 111, 113, 115, 91a

OBJECTIONS START TO ARRIVE

Replies are also starting to arrive from organisations that FBC consulted about the plan. So far none has recommended approval, and some heavyweights are recommending refusal. Follow this link for more details of the objections.

CONSULTATION PERIOD EXTENDED

Latest masterplans

Air Quality report 

This is being studied at present and further information will follow.

The Road

For more details see Planning App. Docs for Kensington's letter and map of 30th September.

Briefly, the planning permission to build the new road across the moss has expired, and before the County Council can compulsorily purchase land for a road, a planning permission to build it has to be in place.

The County Council won't pay the cost of renewing this permission - and the associated environmental impact assessment which is also required - so they have said Kensington must pay.

Kensington are now saying they would pay, but not until Fylde Council have granted them planning permission for the houses they want to build!

Parts of the land are still owned by the Oyston family (and others), and Kensington have not been able to agree terms to acquire this land, so everything is now log-jammed.

We think it could be up to 8 years before the road across the moss is built - if it is built at all.

Kensington say the moss road isn't going to be built until the 700th house they provide is occupied. If FBC grant planning permission - which we think is doubtful anyway - at Kensington's stated aim of 175 houses a year, that will be four years before anything happens. And that was before the credit crunch.

Sustainability

Deer park

More detail will be published on this as we  get it

Housing

Exhibition layout (2007)	Latest layout plan (Oct 2008)

Gone are the spacious green areas within the houses. The inter-estate road layout has changed, and Kensington want to open discussions with FBC about the number of "affordable houses" they have to provide.

In essence, all developers are now required to build what most of us would know as Council Houses. Properties usually rented to people who have difficulty raising the capital for buying outright.

These days such houses are provider by "Registered Social Landlords" (RSL's) like New Fylde Housing Association.

Developers are required to sell a proportion of the property they build to RSL's at a discount from the market rate, so the RSL's can rent them to appropriate tenants.

Fylde used to require developers to provide 60% of all houses as "Affordable." This year they reduced that to 30%, and Kensington first said they could only provide 23% (because of the cost of the road and other 'community benefits'). They have now whittled that down to 22.5% and are about to enter into discussions with FBC - presumably to reduce this further in view of what they call "catastrophic trading conditions"