Letter: Wanborough Parish Council Played A Major Part In Resisting Hog’s Back Development

Published on: 31 Jan, 2021
Updated on: 31 Jan, 2021

From: Stephen Callender

Vice-Chair Wanborough Parish Council

In response to: Cross-party Co-operation Helped Hog’s Back Protection

Reference “Cross Party cooperation helped Hog’s Back protection”, I’m sure that Cllr Nagaty is right that this helped bring about the Article 4 Direction on Wanborough Fields.

However, whilst Article 4 has helped enormously by removing Permitted Development, it does not prevent the many planning applications we have seen nor, more importantly, any of the many unauthorised developments in the fields.

I hope Cllr Nagaty appreciates that Wanborough Parish Council, local residents, Cllr Tony Rooth and GBC Officers have had to invest a huge amount of time (and Council money) in keeping tabs on all that’s been going on, preparing objections, issuing Stop and Enforcement notices and even involving Natural England and local MP’s.

Indeed, had Wanborough Parish Council and more than 20 residents not objected to a planning application for a barn, shade tunnel and hard standing on one of the plots, it would have gone ahead. Instead, Councillors on the GBC Planning Committee refused it and this is what has now been confirmed on appeal.

There are two more appeals going through currently, a planning application outstanding for the AONB, and Enforcement Orders on a number of the plots. Many more of the plots have been sold and re-sold – so it’s not over by any means.

Whilst the Article 4 Direction was important, it’s the time-consuming work since that has led to applications being withdrawn, enforcement being carried out and appeals being refused. And it’s this work that we hope will eventually lead to the land that has been so horribly spoilt, being restored. In conjunction with our residents, Wanborough Parish Council will continue to fight tooth and nail to protect the fields around us and retain their beauty and character.