The clock is ticking!

Mar 1, 2021

The Save Capel Executive has been organising to prepare for the Regulation 19 Consultations which will run from March 26th to May 21st. We are focusing on the key areas of our challenge to TWBC regarding their proposals for Tudeley Village and East Capel. There is a huge amount of information and detail to review, analyse and to synthesise into a robust and fact-based response.

The preparation is currently being frustrated by TWBC not yet publishing around 40 key supporting documents to the Plan; these are vital for us to compose our response. TWBC’s response to our frequent requests for access is “they will be released sometime in March”. Every day the clock ticks us closer to the deadline of March 26th.

Many of you contributed to the Regulation 18 Consultations back in October and November 2019, and we sincerely thank you for that. Unfortunately, TWBC appears to have ignored the many valid comments we all made; the net result has been to increase the housing numbers in East Capel by 500 and Tudeley by 200!

Regulation 19 is different, where the submission of our comments and opposition to TWBC’s plan will be reviewed by a Government appointed Planning Inspector, or maybe two. Please follow this link to get a better idea of the process as used in Wokingham. https://www.wycombe.gov.uk/uploads/public/documents/Planning/New-local-plan/Local-plan-publication-version/Guidance-note-on-legal-compliance-and-soundness.pdf

So, what are we doing? Currently we are focused on:

  • Re-engaging with our own support teams who worked so impressively for Regulation 18.
  • Enhancing this support by liaising and combining resources with other campaign groups who have similar objectives to our own:
    • Capel Parish Council (CPC)
    • Capel Greenbelt Protection Society (CGPS)
    • Keep Kent Green (KKG)
  • Identifying the key issues to challenge in each of the main topics (Transport & Infrastructure, Flooding and Sewerage, Housing & Brownfield, and Environment, Biodiversity & Heritage).
  • Using our own resources, together with those of our fellow-campaigners, and enhancing this with professional expert advice from lawyers and planning consultants.
  • Liaising with neighbouring Councils who have their own concerns, and other TWBC protest groups like SODPW and Benenden East End

For those of you who like to think in picture rather than words, here is a slide of how we are organising ourselves.

So, what can you do to help? We are looking to you for your help in two ways:

  1. You can contribute to one of the teams above. If you have any prior knowledge or expertise in any of these areas, or just some time to review documents with some guidance.
  2. Importantly, we have now reached the stage where to succeed we must invest in professional help. The community has already been incredibly generous and we have substantial funds available. However, we need to raise a further £20,000 by the end of April to engage the specialists we need. So, please donate whatever you can and encourage others to do the same at this crucial stage of our campaign. https://savecapel.com/donate/

 

Thank you in anticipation of your help. THE CLOCK IS TICKING!