Calling-in

The Calling-in Process

(This page was created at the time of the football club's planning application and has been retained as a matter of interest)

"Calling-in" is the process, under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, whereby the Secretary of State decides on planning applications that give rise for example to substantial regional or national controversy or may conflict with national policy on important matters. Conflict with National Policy

Conflict With AONB Policy
.

As the site is within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the following applies.

"Designation of areas as National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty does not preclude the use of land for sporting and recreational activities, but noisy or other intrusive activities should be restricted to locations where they will have minimal or no impact on residents or other recreational users. " and " In Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty local planning authorities should look to meet the demands for sporting and recreational activities where the proposals are consistent with the primary objective of conservation of the natural beauty of the landscape, and the needs of agriculture, forestry and other uses"

The major earth works that are required to form terracing and the resulting loss of contours together with the buildings will seriously detract from the natural beauty of the area. Floodlighting on this hilltop visible for miles around will certainly not conserve the natural beauty.

Conflict With National Planning Law

The site is not within the Defined Development Boundary (DDB) of the current Local Plan , nor is it included in the First Deposit stage of the Local Plan Review, the blue print for future development stretching 12 years ahead.

Substantial Regional Controversy

This arises because of the close relationship between the district and town councils. I may remind you that Lyme Regis Town Council is the owner of Strawberry Field, it initiated the idea of a sports complex on the site, and after the withdrawal of its outline planning application in Spring 2002 handed over the responsibility of obtaining planning permission to the football club. It is to a man 100% behind the scheme. Even the mayor Barbara Austin the president of the football club has made the project the mayor's charity for the year. Two members, Owen Lovell and Ken Meech, of Lyme Regis Town Council are also Lyme's district councillors and they are chairman and vice-chairman of West Dorset District Council's Development Control West Committee, in plain english the Planning Committee. They have also been active proponents of the Strawberry Field project. With the considerable influence that these positions bring there is serious doubt as to whether the district council can make an un-biased determination of this case.The implementation of sports facilities is specifically one of the responsibilities that the district council is involved with providing.

The majority of people standing to be adversely affected with this development live across not only the parish boundary but also that of district councils and county councils. They even have different parliamentary representatives, residing in the constituency of East Devon whereas Strawberry Field is in West Dorset. They in this situation are severally disenfranchised and the only way of obtaining fair representation would be to have the decision of this application made by the Secretary of State.

How to Request that this Application is Called-in.

Please write stating why you think the application should be called-in as soon as possible. Once the district council has made a decision the Calling-in process is inoperable. Please write to:

Mr.Ian Wallace,
Local Planning Team,
Government Office for the South West,
Somerset and Dorset Team,
2, Rivergate,
Temple Quay,
Bristol, BS1 6ED

You can also email your request.

Head your letter :

CALLING-IN OF PLANNING APPLICATION

WEST DORSET DISTRICT COUNCIL

PLANNING APPLICATION NUMBER: 1/W/2003/1670

THE STRAWBERRY FIELD, CHARMOUTH ROAD, LYME REGIS

DISCRIPTION: "MAKE CHANGE OF USE FROM AGRICULTURE TO SPORTS GROUND, CONSTRUCT 2 PITCHES, PLAY AREAS & EXTERNALLY ILLUMINATED MULTI USE GAMES AREA (MUGA), ERECT CLUBHOUSE & GROUNDS MAN'S SHED. FORM CAR PARKS, INSTALL SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT & MODIFY EXISTING VEHICULAR ACCESS".

At this stage the Secretary of State only requires reasons for the decision to be taken out of the hands of the district council. If called-in there will later be adequate time to put forward your reasons that the application should be rejected by the inspector.

Strawberry Field Home Page

The Calling-In Process

Planning Officer's Report
(500kb pdf file)

Town Council Minutes, Emails etc.

The Town Council's Role - and the implications for West Dorset District Council

Woodroffe School's Sports Facilities to be Opened to the Local Community

Monsoon at Harcombe

Golf Club Developments

View Documents at WDDC site

A Reply to the Strawberry Field Newspaper

Thanks you very much for any support that you can give.

Email: johnrhodehill.co.uk if you have any comments.

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