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3 Counties Group Press Release Structure Plan Fundamentally Flawed In its submission in response to the current Consultation on Modifications and Amendments to the proposed 2001-2016 WSCC Structure Plan, the 3CG had this to say: “We have been disappointed to find that none of the Amendments suggested in our initial (February 2002) response to the WS DDSP (Ref. No: 6377) has been adopted in the Modified SP, as Approved by WSCC in November 2003. “Briefly, yet again, the County, ignoring its past repeated failure to force in large-scale housing at this EG location; ignoring the overwhelming evidence of proven infrastructural and environmental impediments; ignoring the essential requirement that any form of proposed traffic relief—be this a programme of on-line improvements, or new relief road—must first be shown to reduce existing levels of EG area traffic congestion before any new development can be considered; in ignoring all these primary requirements, the County has destroyed any prospect of the proposed SP, in those provisions which apply to EG, having any chance of fulfilling these local requirements which it is imperative they meet. “It is further baffling that the County, after first rejecting the Burgess Hill location intially favoured by County Officials, seems determined to ignore the one obvious location—the "E of M23" (Lamont site)—which can readily and promptly meet the requirement for "sustainable development" in the "M23 Corridor"/Crawley/Gatwick locality which needs this housing; and which indeed actively has sought to secure SP support for this location. The County also will know that only on the basis of development at this "E of M23" (Lamont site) location, will the land for requisite access improvement at Junction 10 be released by the Lamont consortium. “The evolution of the Plan's proposals for East Grinstead has been an extended abuse of process. These are proposals to alter the character of the town utterly and irreparably. Yet its people have never been meaningfully consulted about them, or given a meaningful opportunity to express their views. “The only exception to this has been the Town Referendum on 19 June 2003, when 96.3% of the voters rejected the proposals. But since the Referendum, the West Sussex County Council has rejected repeated entreaties to consult with representatives of the voters on the implications of their vote. Consultation has been flatly refused. “ ‘Indeed,’ said 3CGs Michael Vickers, ‘so determined was WSCC that expressed concern of EG residents should not be heard in its Chichester Council Chambers, that it (at its 25 June, 2003, Meeting of its Select Committee on SP matters, under its Chairman, Martin Daws-Chew) amended its own Rules to ensure that a representative of 3CG was prohibited from bringing news of the EG Town Referendum, and to express local views on the SP EG housing proposal. In the event, the Chairman blocked any comment by any Member on the Referendum and its result.’ “Clearly, from formulation, through consultation, and consideration at the EiP; through deliberations of various County bodies, and formulation of Modifications and Amendments; in relation to all these activities and procedures, the County has not only repeatedly ignored its own rules, and violated major proposed Principles specified in the Draft SP; it has also demonstrated a capacity for comprehensive abuse of process as applicable to these matters. “ ‘The entire SP,’ said Dr. Vickers, ‘is fundamentally flawed. Clearly, if substantial amendment in terms of the broader SP provisions—quite apart from those applicable to EG—is not effected, then it will simply be a matter of whether challenge will come through Government intervention and "Direction", through the procedure of Public Inquiry, or through Court Action.’ “In keeping with County procedure for Responses to this current Consultation, 3CG has submitted separate copies of relevant Objections and Comments, which can be viewed by clicking the links below: Download 3CG Responses in Word format: Process (100KB) Press Liaison: Peter Haskell 01342 322622 | Close | |
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