Rob Nolan on the Truro & Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan
People say to me, why are we continuing with the Neighbourhood Plan, when Cornwall Council have already made all the big decisions. And it’s a fair question. I’ve fought tooth and nail against the Eastern Park and Ride and the Langarth Development, so how can I now ask you to vote for a plan that involves these developments.
I don’t. I shall continue to fight and campaign against out of town supermarkets, and against building on greenfield sites, unless there are very good reasons for it. I will continue to look for ways to stop the Eastern Park and Ride and Langarth, because I believe that they are bad planning decisions, based on bad advice and made for the wrong reasons. I went, with Bert Biscoe and two Kenwyn Councillors, to Westminster to see Eric Pickles’ PPS, Stephen Hammond MP, to discuss issues surrounding the progress of the Neighbourhood Plan. Mr Hammond told us that he thought Cornwall Council might be guilty of “maladministration”. Yet a month later we are told that Mr Pickles can see no grounds for a Call In. A frankly unbelievable statement.
Are we wasting our time, fighting against Cornwall Council and big London money? Well we are, if we don’t have a Plan.
The Neighbourhood Plan will give us a real say in future developments, and there’s lots of Developers out there, looking at the profits they can make from Truro. If we don’t have a Plan, then Cornwall Council will eagerly help them to stuff these developments down our throats. Why? Because Mr Lavery has worked out that every 1000 houses built, is worth £1.4 million a year in Council Tax. So, do you think they’ll be happy with 4000 houses in Truro? Or do you think that every developer who offers to build a 1000 houses will be welcomed in, offered a glass of Sherry and be told, we’re here to help.
I accept that there has to be some development, but it has to be development that we actually need. Housing for our young people, who cannot afford even an Affordable Home, shops and business’s in our Town Centre, small developments that can become Communities.
The only way to get this, is to push on with our Neighbourhood Plan, to take control of Truro’s future development ourselves. So, join in, comment, tell us what you think, what you want to see for the future, tell us what you think about Langarth and the Eastern Park and Ride. Here’s our opportunity to say what we want. Let’s make sure our voice is heard. Let’s take control of the future.
Rob Nolan
Visit the Neighbourhood Plan website here
