County councillor joins town council in opposing Vision 2031
Monday, 5th August 2013.
Haverhill county councillor Tony Brown has closed his petition against the Vision 2031 planning document, and joined forces with the town council to oppose it.
In the process he has slammed the Haverhill Area Working Party of St Edmundsbury Borough Council as 'not fit for purpose' because of its failure to challenge the document robustly enough.
Cllr Brown said he thoroughly welcomed Haverhill Town Council's critical comments sent last week to St Edmundsbury planners, as the document, with public comments, is prepared for sending to a Government planning inspector for approval.
He praised the town council's hard work in exposing the weaknesses of Vision 2031, the document which would govern development in Haverhill for the next 20 years.
Cllr Brown had criticised the document himself and had begun a petition against it, which he held a stall on the market for on Saturday.
He has reached around 500 names, but decided to close the petition and send it off as a snapshot of local opinion, after discussion with Haverhill town mayor Cllr Roger Andre.
Cllr Brown said Cllr Andre had raised concerns that if the whole planning process of Vision 2031 was torpedoed, it might leave Haverhill open to unrestricted growth in the future.
Cllr Brown said he agreed and he would now throw his efforts into supporting the town council in achieving their common goals.
"Our petition campaign has done a great deal to highlight the vision 2031 planning document," he said, "with its aim of getting the town to go for a real vision instead of just 4,000 houses with the bare minimum of infrastructure improvements.
"It doesn’t end here though. This is just the end of the draft submission phase. We still have the high street consultation to get our views heard on that important issue.
"Also over the coming months and years we will be fighting for the things that we want as the town is developed at the detailed planning stages, and we will also be continually monitoring the coming developments and plans to make sure that we get the things that Haverhill deserves and challenge the local authorities at every level if we do not think they are delivering."
Cllr Brown went on to criticise the Haverhill Area Working Party which approved the document two months ago.
He said: "I think with the town council's devastating critique of the draft vision 2031 document very real questions have to be asked of the effectiveness and viability of the Haverhill Area Working Party.
"Is it really working for the people of Haverhill or just our masters in Bury? I don’t think it is the fault of any one member or individual but as a collective it does not seem fit for purpose and has failed the town.
"I would strongly urge a re-think on its constitution and terms of reference as its effectiveness in fighting for a better Haverhill seems to be pretty poor.
"Obviously their ability to take on board local consultation in the decision-making process is weak."
In the process he has slammed the Haverhill Area Working Party of St Edmundsbury Borough Council as 'not fit for purpose' because of its failure to challenge the document robustly enough.
Cllr Brown said he thoroughly welcomed Haverhill Town Council's critical comments sent last week to St Edmundsbury planners, as the document, with public comments, is prepared for sending to a Government planning inspector for approval.
He praised the town council's hard work in exposing the weaknesses of Vision 2031, the document which would govern development in Haverhill for the next 20 years.
Cllr Brown had criticised the document himself and had begun a petition against it, which he held a stall on the market for on Saturday.
He has reached around 500 names, but decided to close the petition and send it off as a snapshot of local opinion, after discussion with Haverhill town mayor Cllr Roger Andre.
Cllr Brown said Cllr Andre had raised concerns that if the whole planning process of Vision 2031 was torpedoed, it might leave Haverhill open to unrestricted growth in the future.
Cllr Brown said he agreed and he would now throw his efforts into supporting the town council in achieving their common goals.
"Our petition campaign has done a great deal to highlight the vision 2031 planning document," he said, "with its aim of getting the town to go for a real vision instead of just 4,000 houses with the bare minimum of infrastructure improvements.
"It doesn’t end here though. This is just the end of the draft submission phase. We still have the high street consultation to get our views heard on that important issue.
"Also over the coming months and years we will be fighting for the things that we want as the town is developed at the detailed planning stages, and we will also be continually monitoring the coming developments and plans to make sure that we get the things that Haverhill deserves and challenge the local authorities at every level if we do not think they are delivering."
Cllr Brown went on to criticise the Haverhill Area Working Party which approved the document two months ago.
He said: "I think with the town council's devastating critique of the draft vision 2031 document very real questions have to be asked of the effectiveness and viability of the Haverhill Area Working Party.
"Is it really working for the people of Haverhill or just our masters in Bury? I don’t think it is the fault of any one member or individual but as a collective it does not seem fit for purpose and has failed the town.
"I would strongly urge a re-think on its constitution and terms of reference as its effectiveness in fighting for a better Haverhill seems to be pretty poor.
"Obviously their ability to take on board local consultation in the decision-making process is weak."
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