2012 November: Planning Inspector Examination
23rd November 2012 - Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD): Examination Programme
Earlier this month, Cheadle residents who submitted representations on the 'Staffordshire Moorlands Core Strategy', should have had letters from SMDC as it enters the 'Examination Programme'. The letter indicates that the Core Strategy is now going to be examined by the planning inspectorate and details how residents may want to attend a pre-hearing (10AM on the 11th December 2012 at the Bethel Suite, Tape Street, Cheadle) and/or the hearings at SMDC on the 5th of February 2013 at Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek. A reply is requested by the 30th of November 2012. The letter as presented should have included 'a brief guide to examining development plan documents' and a Reply Slip.
The revised 'Core Strategy' was published in December 2011 and submitted to the Secretary of State for examination on the 25th of July 2012.It is detailed here:
www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/sm/examination
While the proposals for Cheadle East (M28) were dropped from the final revisedsubmission, as detailed in:
A(3) Summary of Revisions to the Submission Core Strategy December 2011 (Page 5, Modification M95)
And reflected in A(1) the 'Revised Submission Core Strategy' December 2011 (Page 217)
There are still very significant development proposals (especially in the North East), which are of clear concern to all Cheadle Residents.
The details presented by SMDC in their 31st October 2012 letter and supporting documents, make it clear that:
'No further written representations should be submitted unless they are specifically requested by the inspector'.
Further, the 'brief guide to examining development plan documents' states in the FAQ's (Question 2):
What is the nature of the legal right to be heard?
Answer: You only have the right to be heard if you are seeking a change to the document. If your representation is in support of the development plan document, you cannot speak to the inspector unless invited.
The impetus is therefore we believe to determine failings in the submitted proposal.
Cheadle Unite continues to fight for the whole of Cheadle after Cheadle East was dropped from the proposal (a proposal for which we only had a very short window in which to raise objections relating to the Cheadle East proposal -modification M28 back in in Dec/Jan 2009). We have also presented resident feedback on the Town Masterplan (Dec 2010)
Our position on the Core Strategy that has been submitted on M95 including areas 1&2 North and North East (with Cheadle East dropped) is detailed in our second submission (issued with the number 600/3573 by SMDC and available in the respondents 600 to 621 pdf at the above web link). The document includes questions on housing allocation numbers, legality and appropriate consultation on the true range of housing level options available to Cheadle as part of a regional development, working in collaboration with Stoke-on-Trent (which is in dire need of regeneration following the collapse of the 'Renew' Project), as well as forcing declining living standards on Cheadle Residents with inadequate roads, pollution and poor long term employment prospects.
We therefore encourage residents to express their views regarding the submitted proposals by returning the Reply slip to SMDC to attend the two meetings above and especially the second to attend the hearings in February next year by the 30th November. When we have more clarity on the examination procedure (detailed on the 11th of December 2012) we will let residents know the position, as we will with the consequences for Cheadle on the Planning Inspector's recommendations that follow and any further action we may take to the High Court within six weeks of any adopted plan.
Kind Regards
Cheadle Unite Committee