Readers of earlier postings will know that a Non-Statutory Public Inquiry was scheduled to be held in The Guildhall, Bath, in order to consider an application for the Registration of Newbridge Meadows Village Green, submitted to B&NES Council by one of our team, on behalf of Newbridge Matters.
This Inquiry was necessary because B&NES Council had objected to the application.
The Public Inquiry was held on the 11th, 12th and 13th of April 2011, the Inspector appointed by the Council being a Queen’s Councillor [QC.]
B&NES Council, the objector, was also represented by a Queen’s Councillor.
The applicant was represented by an officer of Planning Sanity, an organisation specialising in dealing with Public Inquiries into Village Green registrations.
We presented Proofs of Evidence of use of the Meadows by 13 persons which had been submitted to the Registration Authority and which were read out by the authors at the Inquiry.
During the Inquiry, 4 other members of the public gave verbal evidence of use of the Meadows.
Well over 100 statements of support from local residents for the Meadows to be Registered, including those from the 2 Newbridge Ward Councillors was also submitted.
The Inspector made copious notes on his computer during the Inquiry and, questions were asked of all the witnesses by the Inspector, by B&NES Council’s QC and by our representative.
A letter addressed to the Inspector from a local resident giving details of use of the Meadows was handed to the Inspector, which he noted.
B&NES Council only produced 1 witness, an officer employed by them whose responsibilities included the management of the Meadows area and, he was questioned by those who questioned our witnesses.
During the course of the Inquiry, members of the public including those from other areas of Bath and some Councillors attended.
The Inspector made a site visit on Tuesday morning 12th April and he was accompanied by B&NES Council’s QC and their officer witness, and by a local resident and the applicant.
We were able to point out various locations on the Meadows and nearby, relevant to the application, such as public footpaths and other means of access, use of the Meadows by way of the remains of camp fires, the abundance of bird and animal life and, the location of nearby elderly persons estates, some of those occupants using the Meadows for recreational and therapeutic use.
During the site inspection, the local resident found and showed the Inspector a baby slow-worm and evidence of the Blue Carpenter Bee, a very rare species, on the site, illustrating the reason why the area is scheduled as a Nature Conservation Area.
We nor B&NES Council’s representatives, were allowed to discuss the application with the Inspector but, we were able to show him various sites that were referred to in the application.
On Wednesday afternoon 13th April, closing statements were made by B&NES Council’s QC followed by our representative’s statement after which the Inspector declared that the Inquiry had ended.
The Inspector advised those present that he anticipated submitting his report to B&NES Council in 6 weeks time from the 13th April 2011.
The applicant will also receive a copy of the Inspector’s report.
Newbridge Matters acknowledges and thanks the many people who have given us support for this application and who attended the Inquiry as witnesses and, those who attended in order to give us moral support.
We acknowledge with very many thanks the help, advice and representation given by Planning Sanity.
We also acknowledge with very many thanks all the help and support that the Response2Route group have given us in dealing with this Public Inquiry.
Some members of the Response2Route group have submitted applications for the Registration of Village Greens at Rudmore Park and Kaynton Mead and, the Non-Statutory Public Inquiries into those applications have been scheduled to take place in The Guildhall as follows:
Rudmore Park - 23rd until 26th May 2011
Kaynton Mead - 13th until 16th June 2011.
We urge readers to give these applicants support, contact being made with them via the Response2Route web site.
We will of course advise you further on the Newbridge Meadows Inquiry when we receive details of the Inspector’s report.
The normal procedure would be for the Inspector’s report in the form of a recommendation, to be submitted to the Registration Authority of the Council and, for it to be considered by an appropriate committee of the Council when a final decision will be made.
We thank all those who have given us support on the many issues that we have reported upon over the many months since our inception.
