What goes around...

On Monday 24 August 2009 the BBC showed a programme entitled 'Saving Britain's Past' which focused on Bath's planning history since World War II.

The documentary looked at how thousands of Georgian properties had been destroyed and replaced with bland 'boxes', such as the Southgate centre. The irony is that this shopping mall has now been pulled down and is currently being rebuilt in the Georgian style.

There is an obvious link to the BTP proposals - destroying beautiful green spaces, which can never be replaced, with concrete. Why? To further B&NES Council's out of date transport plans which cannot meet their objectives.

If you missed the episode you can watch it online by clicking on this link.

False start?

Despite the fact that two of the four BTP planning applications are currently lodged with the Secretary of State's office for review; the tender for the work has been advertised.

Do B&NES Council know something we don't?

Reinforcements

More support for our cause comes in the form of the Bath Labour Party. Now both local opposition parties have written to urge The Rt. Hon. John Denham MP, Secretary of State, to call in the controversial Newbridge application for a public inquiry.

For more information, click here.

Thank you!

A brief update...

Newbridge Matters! was started in mid July 2009 as a communication tool for people with an interest in what's going on in our area of Bath. In the right hand column we set up the unique visitor counter, which registers readers only once. This gives an accurate indication of how many people have investigated the blog.

Over the weekend the counter passed the 500 mark. We would like to thank everyone who has visited this site and encourage you to check in regularly as we try to update the posts frequently.

Have your say...

Don Foster MP has written to The Rt. Hon. John Denham MP, the Secretary of State, requesting a public inquiry into the BTP. His letter in full can be found here. The online version of the local paper, The Bath Chronicle, has run a story on this. If you would like to leave a comment on their site, this link will take you directly to the article.

Once upon a time...

We have researched instances of misinformation from B&NES Council and its officers. To begin with we looked at the Case Officer's report submitted with the DCC meeting agenda on 5 August 2009, click here and go to page 25 to refer to this.

Rather than post the whole document here, click on this link to view what we discovered. As you will see there are twelve points relating to this one report alone.

Uncomfortable reading.

How much?

We thought it would be interesting to see how much B&NES Council has spent to date on consultancy fees, surveys and other costs associated with the BTP.

After submitting a FOI request on 1 March 2009 we got some information back on 1 May 2009, click here for the original document. Yes, we don't know what all the items refer to either. However, we do know that this statement is not accurate as in March 2009 the promotional costs ran to six figures.

No reminder is needed that this is tax payers' money being used on a proposal that cannot meet its objectives.

Teamwork

Last night we attended a meeting with fellow BTP objectors from Response2Route and Save Bathampton Meadows.

The objective was to exchange information and develop a united strategy to run alongside our individual campaigns. We are optimistic that this partnership will strengthen our collective quest; namely, to petition B&NES to reconsider its illogical traffic management proposals and come up with a scheme that will work.

No entry?

While we in the car park this afternoon, we saw a lorry enter the protected field via the padlocked gate, ignoring the sign forbidding entry to motorists. The driver obviously knew the code and conscientiously locked up after he had driven in.

With due recognition of everyone's rights, we wonder why B&NES Council has not moved these travellers to a site which is not an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a Nature Reserve, greenbelt land etc. Is the theory that B&NES is deliberately degrading this field fast becoming more fact than conspiracy?

Child's play

Today we visited the Newbridge park and ride to promote our mini online poll (see right) to car park users. Many thanks to everyone who has voted.

Many hands make light work.

After the disappointment of yesterday's DCC meeting we are putting out a rallying call to prepare for the next round.

We would like to thank all our friends, neighbours and supporters for everything they have done so far. We look forward to a complete victory in the near future.

As the planning application has been referred to the Secretary of State it cannot be approved by the Council at this stage.

For some time now, we have been trying to correct various testimonies that have been made by Councillors in favour of this application and also the content of reports made by the Case Officer, without success.

One example of an incorrect statement made by the Case Officer in his last report to the DCC is to be found on page 27, paragraph 6 which reads as follows:

"As the BRT will run on a dedicated route it will not be delayed by congestion, traffic or other delays."

This is just not true as the park and ride buses will leave and enter the Newbridge park and ride site via the existing Newbridge Road and Brassmill Lane. These roads are used by heavy through traffic from the Industrial Estate and Caravan Park, alongside private residents' vehicles and regular buses. As the BRT will not be a dedicated route it will not accord with Policy T.11 of the Local Plan.

There are many claims that have been made during the period before and after the planning application was registered that are inaccurate and we intend to draw up a detailed list of these statements, and, with your assistance prepare them for submission to GoSW, where the application has been referred. GoSW will make recommendations to the DfT from which any funding will be made, if subsequent final approval is given and the CPOs are implemented.

We see no reason why any Councillor who opposes this scheme should not, if they wish, contribute, and, we would welcome their further help and advice before submitting any documentation.

The battle may have been lost but the war is not yet over.

"Something is rotten in the state of B&NES"

This evening the DCC voted 7-5 to be minded to permit the Newbridge planning application.

Disregarding guidance that financial issues are not material considerations in planning matters, the threat of losing the DfT funding was the overriding concern. As a result, the application was pushed through.

The fight goes on!

Today's the day...

Today the DCC meet for the third time to discuss the Newbridge planning application.

We have spent hours researching and preparing. This afternoon we have two minute time allocations to get our points across.

The aims and benefits of the proposal have been found wanting. Leaving only one possible explanation for pushing this scheme through - money. Committee members have come under enormous pressure to approve the application. B&NES Council has repeatedly asserted that if any part of the BTP fails then the DfT funding is lost. The case officer responsible for this application has stated that financial aspects are not material considerations and the decision must be on planning grounds alone.

It is so finely balanced we cannot call which way it will go. Or is it?

P.S. The meeting is open to all, if you would like to attend this application is scheduled for 5.00 p.m. at The Guildhall, Bath.

The bigger picture...

In Corby last week, several children with congenital defects successfully sued their local council for negligence. Their mothers were exposed to "an atmospheric soup of toxic materials" that had poisoned the North­amptonshire town when the local steel works were demolished.

The judge, Mr Justice Akenhead, criticised the council for a "dig and dump" approach to disposing of the waste from the former British Steel plant.

In Bath it will be necessary to disturb the 1968 landfill at the Newbridge park and ride, to construct the special foundations required to manage the water issue.

Bath's top performing school lies in close proximity to the site and has over 1000 girls approaching or of childbearing age.

This sort of foundation would not be required for the site south of the river.

Answers, answers?

We have now received a response from B&NES Council to the questions posed in the 27 July 2009 piece Questions, questions?.

These 'answers' have raised yet more 'questions'. We will post the answers and our further questions as soon as possible.

Follow the leader...

Today we were asked the following question,

Q: Do you think that swapping DCC members for ones that are more in line with party policy is tantamount to vote rigging?
A: Oh yes, we do!

During one of our discussions with B&NES' Democratic Services we were told the DCC was supposed to assess all planning matters in an independent way, i.e. without consideration for party affiliation. This has not happened with the BTP applications.

Furthermore, it is unprofessional for some DCC members, regardless of their political allegiance, to have not even read associated documentation or visited the sites connected with a major project such as this.

The more we’ve investigated this planning application, the more we are convinced there should be checks and balances in place to prevent the abuse of process that seems to be going on.

Planning application notes

We are grateful to one of our team for going through the planning application report attached to the Agenda for the DCC meeting on 5 August 2009.

Click here and go to page 25 to view the report. An in depth analysis in note form can be found here.

Extra, extra - read all about it!

We have frequently been told that ruining one's view is not a material consideration with regard to planning issues.

If that is the case, why are the Government reviewing council tax rates in order meet the costs of council employees' gold plated pensions among other things? One of the proposals is to increase the tax for residents with uninterrupted views.

For more information on the so called 'patio tax' visit thisismoney.co.uk.

Needless to say there is no mention of a rebate if the Council defaces the countryside with a 1000 space car park.