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Great Haddon: Public need more time to have a say
CALLS for an extension to the public consultation period for the 5,000-home Great Haddon development has been made by Shailesh Vara MP.
CALLS for an extension to the public consultation period for the 5,000-home Great Haddon development has been made by Shailesh Vara MP.The MP for North West Cambridgeshire has called for Peterborough City Council to extend the 21-day period which finished on Wednesday because of concerns that people have not had enough time to study and respond to the large-scale, multi-million pound plans.
The consultation was triggered by developers David Lock Associates submitting an outline planning application for the new development between the A1(M) and Hampton.
Mr Vara said: "Given the huge scale of the proposals and the implications for not only Peterborough but also a much wider surrounding area, I believe the time allowed for responses from members of the public is far too short.
"This has been made worse because much of the consultation period was covered by the Christmas and New Year period.
"Residents need to be given adequate time to express their views as fully as possible.
"I hope the council will review the matter and extend the consultation period."
The council organised events to explain the plans at Queen's Park Hall, in Daimler Avenue, Yaxley, Yaxley Library and Serpentine Shopping Centre in Hampton earlier this month.
The council's head of planning, Simon Machen, added they were only legally obliged to consult for 21 days but a number of factors, including the Christmas period and the scale of this application, had led to the initial consultation period actually running for 35 days.
He said: "We understand that many people will want to comment on the proposals and their views are important to us.
"We cannot extend the formal consultation period now it has expired.
"But as we are dealing with the application over the coming months all comments received will be considered in our assessment of the application.
"They will help in our negotiations with the developer to overcome any local concerns."
If the plans are given the green light, an entirely new community will be created over the next 20 years, featuring 5,350 new homes - to house 12,000 residents - three schools, shops and business units as well as five gypsy and traveller pitches and public open spaces such as parks.
There will also be the necessary infrastructure such as roads, gas, electricity and drainage to support the development.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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