Updated 7 August 2010: Swaffham Crier added to the press coverage under further reading.
Updated 6 August 2010: Updated one of the ECDC links which they had changed mid-way through the consultation process!
Updated 5 August 2010: New page added giving guidance for completing the questionnaires either on-line or on paper.
Updated 27 July 2010: Video of questionnaire updated and copy of latest flyer added, both under Further Reading.
Updated 25 July 2010: Link to Initial Sustainability Appraisal corrected and comments on this updated.
Swaffham Prior Village Hall housed a packed Community Meeting on 13 July to discuss the proposal in East Cambridgeshire District Council's "Site Allocations Options Paper" for a permanent Gypsy and Traveller site in Swaffham Prior. The proposed site, next to Goodwin Farm, Heath Road and near the junction with Mill Hill (B1102), would contain 6 large pitches, each accommodating 3 caravans, a brick-built dayroom and parking/garden space (read more or see videos ...).
Since the meeting, we have discovered that there are not one but TWO documents relating to this proposal on the ECDC web-site and TWO questionnaires that need to be completed; we'd suggest you look at the Further Reading Section below before completing the Questionnaires.
The first document ("Site Allocations Options Paper") is the one discussed at the Community Meeting. It describes the proposals and the associated questionnaire asks if you agree with the proposal and has a space for reasons why or why not.
The second document ("Initial Sustainability Appraisal - Site Allocations Options Document") describes how ECDC came to the conclusion that Swaffham Prior was a good (or in their words, sustainable) site for Gypsy and Traveller Pitches and makes interesting reading. The questionnaire that goes with this document asks which site you want to make representations on and for your comments on the document.
For our complete Guide and Help to completing the Questionnaires follow this link: COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE.
And, yes, you may end up putting very similar things on both forms - that's okay, just tell them twice!
The Consultation Documents can be found, along with background information
documents on the East Cambs District Council website by following this link:
http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/local-development-framework/current-consultation-ldf-options-paper
The two Consultation Documents
that are directly relevant to Swaffham Prior are (1) the Document discussed
at the meeting:
http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Site Allocations Options Paper.pdf
and (2) we've discovered that a second and significantly more technical
document describes how the sites were selected and can be seen at:
http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Site Assessment Results - Site Allocations Options Papers.pdf
Some press comment on the issue:
Some answers from the Forward Planning Group (the Group Responsible for the Consultation Documents) to our questions.
Detailed appraisal of the various sites considered against the criteria used. This link, although quite technical in nature should be read in conjunction with the comments and shows the Methodology employed by ECDC in reaching their selection of sites. It shows rejected sites with higher scores than Swaffham Prior and this should be included in your submission.
A video showing the first of the questionnaires being filled in and drawing attention to the sections relevant to the Goodwin Farm site (there are a lot of questions about other parts of the proposals unrelated to traveller sites or Swaffham Prior!).
Latest Flyer as distributed around the village.
We'll be keeping this site updated with latest news and information as things progress. But please start filling in the forms.
Paper Copies of Questionnaires are now available, to request a copy e-mail us (as below) or Phone 0844 4936 047.
The committee's email address is goodwin@swaffham-prior.co.uk.
Web site provided by R&SP