This evening I forwarded the following note to Oliver Hemsley, Leader RCC and Helen Briggs – CEO RCC:

“We write as the Chairs of North Luffenham and Edith Weston Parish Councils.

Please find attached a paper written by the Joint Edith Weston / North Luffenham St George’s Barracks Working Group. The paper is an initial draft of a document that will evolve over time. Its aim is to encompass the concerns of our respective Parishioners regarding the proposed development at St George’s Barracks. We would be grateful if this document could be shared with the team writing the First Draft Master Plan, to enable them to take into account some of the very real concerns and considerations of those that are likely to be most affected by the development. We will circulate the document widely including all County Councillors and all Parish Councils.

We will look forward to your proposed consultation to enable us to expand upon the themes contained within the initial draft paper.

Regards

Paul Cummings – Chair North Luffenham Parish Council
Norman Milne – Edith Weston Parish Council

Note to Parishioners:

Please scan the attached paper and let me have your ideas for further issues that should be included in the next draft of the document. Of course at present we have yet to have sight of the initial draft of the Master Plan document that will tell us much more of what is proposed. The Joint Parish Councils’ Working Group have met frequently and have been pressing RCC for further consultation before any Plans are published. This has now been agreed and we will be meeting in the near future.

How can you influence the process ?? Might I suggest that you write to Sir Alan Duncan your MP and to the local papers to express your concern – you might find some useful themes in the Concerns Paper. To start the ball rolling I have written to the Mercury this week expressing our concern about the scale of the project and highlighting the fact that according to RCC’s Local Plan these homes are not required in the period 2016 – 2036.

PBG CUMMINGS – Tel: 720124

CONCERNS PAPER V1.1

The Chairs of North Luffenham and Edith Weston Parish Councils have written to RCC on behalf of our respective communities to express our concern at the proposed scale of the development of St George’s Barracks (1,500 – 3,000 new homes). We commented that the proposal to build a new town, the size of Uppingham, in an area which has hitherto been predominantly rural in nature, had created near unanimous opposition to what is being proposed. We indicated that there is strong support in the local area for a development of no more than 500 houses phased over an extended period. The letter has been released to Local press and a number of radio interviews have been arranged. A copy of our letter is attached:

Development of St George’s Barracks – Mar 18

We have been advised that Rutland County Council’s Cabinet intend to consider a proposal to release £850,000 of funds to support the redevelopment of the Officers’ Mess Site at St George’s Barracks. The full details of the proposal are in the attached document.

Summary of Proposals: The Officers’ Mess site is a 4 Hectare (10 Acre) brownfield site, which is adjacent to, but entirely separate from the Barracks on the South side of Edith Weston Road. The proposal is to build about 70 homes on the site of which at least 30% will be affordable homes. The intent is that Council acquires the site and takes forward the development separately from, and in advance of the full Barracks Development. The Council have committed to consulting with Parish Councils and the Community to understand our ‘ambitions’ for the site and has committed to holding meetings with stakeholder groups to set out their proposals and to understand and mitigate our concerns, which where practicable will be incorporated into the design.

Action by the Community: This development of at least 70 new homes on a high value site overlooking the Chater Valley, is going to have a significant impact upon our village communities and Edith Weston in particular. Bearing in mind that this initiative is to be funded by local authority money, we need to ensure that we ‘hold the Council’s feet to the fire’ and that our concerns are heard. Silence will inevitably be considered as acceptance or at least acquiescence. The Parish Councils of both villages will continue to seek to influence the Council’s decisions and to represent your views.

Please do read the document.

Barracks Paper – 5 Mar 18