Dear Astrid,

We are indeed disappointed as it was precisely that point "more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues" which we were asking the Secretary of State to help us with. In this case Cornwall Council is overriding the decision of the local community expressed through its Neighbourhood plan with over 88% local support at public consultation.

Hayle Town Council looked at the evidence of the previously approved planning decisions upon its town centre viability, highways network, community cohesion etc and concluded through its Neighbourhood plan team that a much smaller development on that site was all the local community could support (see attached image).  This went out to consultation twice with overwhelming support on the restrictions and is being prepared for the referendum now.

Cornwall Council overrode that democratically reached local decision.

Cornwall Council legal advice also did not even ask Hayle Neighbourhood plan of the current status - and advised the SPC wrongly as to the current status in September of both the Local and Neighbourhood plans.

Cornwall Council ignored their own guidance on weight to be attached (drawn up August 2015) and National Guidance that weight should be given to emerging Neighbourhood plans - including Government guidance that additional weight should be given to post examination Neighbourhood plans such as Hayle's. 

Hayle has been shocked and devastated that its Neighbourhood Plan, the Cornwall Local Plan and the Hayle Development Plan which were all agreed on the scale of development suitable for this site have been ignored.

We have also been shocked that Cornwall Council's supposed 'protections' for biodiversity - which the government inspector required to be strengthened in the latest version of the Local Plan - have also been ignored.  This isn't even a simple greenfield development bad as that would be this is destroying a quarter of a county wildlife site and rare freshwater marsh against ecological exert advice which says the loss cannot be adequately mitigated and against the Neighbourhood Plan and Local Plan which would have - in just a few months - protected it going forward and were a reason for rejection of earlier planning on this same site.

Surely - even if not through the NCPU - there is something a local community can do? 


Friends of Marsh Lane Nature Reserve
mail: info@friendsofmarshlanenaturereserve.org
http://friendsofmarshlanenaturereserve.org