Dedham Vale Society Winter 2007 No 61

MEETING WITH CBC PLANNING DEPARTMENTFriday 7 December 2006The purpose of this file note is to record discussions held between the Dedham Vale Society(Wilf Tolhurst, Chairman) and Roger Drury (Planning Secretary – Essex) and the CBC PlanningDepartment (David Whybrow and Vincent Pearce)Wilf Tolhurst opened the meeting by giving a resume of the DVS and its role in protectingthe Vale over the last 70 years from the extremes of inappropriate planning activities overthe period. He expressed concerns over whether councillors newly appointed to the PlanningCommittee were fully cognisant of the planning regulations applicable to AONBs, these being asstringent as those relating to the National Parks, and also the future use of “redundant farmbuildings” within the Vale.1. Councillor TrainingAll Councillors appointed to the Planning Committee were required to undergo an intensiveperiod of training designed to make them fully aware of current planning regulations and thedecision-making process was always guided by members of the professional planning team.Part of this process was visits to urban sites within Colchester designed to familiarisecouncillors with planning issues within the urban context. It was agreed that these urban visitscould usefully be extended to the rural environment and it was agreed that the DVS wouldpropose an itinerary for such a visit. Peter Chillingworth, Chairman of the Planning Committee,has a farming background having been an ADAS Consultant and would probably be open tothis approach.2. Redundant Farm BuildingsThere is clearly a conflict here between the desire to maintain the peace and tranquility ofthe countryside and stated Government policy to encourage rural employment opportunitiesand the diversification out of farming activities. Each application would be reviewed on itsmerit taking into account the impact on the environment but job creation carried real weightin the planning decision-making process.There were a number of discrete points, which were worthy of note.3. RoadsAlthough Essex County Council is responsible for the maintenance of the highwayinfrastructure, the implications for the local road system were an important part of theplanning consideration.Generally the planners respect information provided to them but on major projects theyare periodically employing external consultants.4. Change of UseThere was a discussion on whether as part of a planning application it was necessary tojustify a “change of use” e.g. from agricultural/horticultural use to retail or whatever. It appearsthat such justification is not necessary particularly when a change of use can be seen to bringeconomic advantages to a rural area.7