Decision to close airfield was flawed, inquiry told
SOUTH Gloucestershire Council's public consultation into the closure of Filton Airfield had "legal shortcomings", it has been claimed.
Bert Hindle, representing Save Filton Airfield, made the statement to a Government-appointed inspector at the start of a public inquiry into the council's development blueprint for the district.
During the 11-day inquiry, inspector Paul Crysell will consider the council's core strategy, or local plan, in detail and hear representations from members of the public, before making a recommendation to the council on whether the plan is "sound" and can be adopted for implementation.
As part of the inquiry, Mr Crysell is to look at the controversial use of the airfield for housing, with objectors hoping it will lead to a reversal of the council's original decision to include it in their blueprint.
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On the first day of the inquiry yesterday, Mr Crysell began by asking interested parties if anyone wanted to raise legal or procedural matters.
He said: "A number of local groups have said that the council has not consulted properly. Save Filton Airfield say that the council pre-judged the airfield for housing, without looking at any viable alternatives."
Mr Hindle told the inspector: "Our belief is that there was a pre-determination based on the closure of the airfield. The council had already decided it would be used for housing without thoroughly considering an aviation strategy for Filton.
"We believe information given to the public at the 'community consultations' was based on information only taken from BAE systems and their representatives. No thought was given to what the closure would do to the local economy.
"There was a petition signed by 3,600 people objecting to the closure of the airfield. More than 70 per cent objected to its designation as a redevelopment opportunity.
"South Gloucestershire Council never seems to have addressed this."
Patrick Conroy, representing the council, told the inspector: "We reject the claim that we failed to consult properly.
"The consultation was thorough, extensive and objective and was carried out in a fair way. All of the information was presented to our elected members before any decision was made."
The core strategy lays out the council's vision for development, housing, transport and infrastructure over the next 14 years. It was formally approved by the council in December and submitted to the Government inspector in February.
For more information visit www.southglos.gov.uk/corestrategy.
Comments
by KBarad
Thursday, June 21 2012, 9:55PM
“@bristolreded
According to whom is there a housing "crisis"? As far as I know there isn't a crisis in shortage of housing, it's a problem of not having houses at affordable prices, lack of financing, and lack of jobs and job security. None of these will be helped by building more houses (and no, I have no faith in the claims that there will affordable housing. Such claims on many other housing projects have been lies and not kept)”
by Filtonion
Thursday, June 21 2012, 7:05PM
“Rumpole, you old serial complainer you ;)
How can you suggest that selling the airfield will be good for Filton? It takes some nights an hour and a half to get home from bradley stoke to Filton, we are gridlocked now!
The south glos master plan is to grab this land and build without a second thought for the Filton community which is wrong.
Please remember that whilst you claim independence you are still clearly a Tory ( I am not supporting any party by the way just Filton!)
Wake up and smell whats going on, somone is going to get rich and it isnt the working classes of Filton from this! Are you?”
by bristolreded
Thursday, June 21 2012, 6:51PM
“More houses need to be built in a housing crises not an empty airfield that doesn't benefit anyone.”
by flowergirly
Thursday, June 21 2012, 2:03PM
“J Rumpole, it is a shame you did not attend the SGC meeting regarding the Airfield and Core strategy as then you would be in a better stance to argue. Seems a little child like being so derogatory towards Jockstrap as if you had read the Core Strategy you would know that he is actually just stating the facts.
Labour were the only party that voted to save the Airfield (I was present at this meeting and have read the very large core strategy bundle).
However my point is this should not be about political point scoring this is far too important an issue. This should be about common sense and the impact on the area/surrounding area's.
Filton is famous for its outstanding aviation history and against all the odd's (landing fees tripling, weekend flights stopped) they have still made a substantial profit. - Fact
There are over 5 million empty houses already in the Uk-fact
Filton infrastructure cannot currently cope with the amount of traffic and the new Hospital hasn't even opened yet! -Fact
We already have Charlton Hayes and are struggling to fill these new houses-Fact
Jobs will be lost if this ridiculous scheme goes ahead- Fact
We already have a severe lack of jobs already in the area-Fact
We do not need a political debate on this just a brain cell and some common sense!!”
by Tody123
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 5:21PM
“Labour Councillors are a total waste of space, a bunch of good for nothings”
by JockstrapLie
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 4:46PM
“At least the official minutes of the meeting provide a permanent record of what actually happened for history to remember and we do not have to rely on the angry ramblings of the Tory apologists. For anyone who gives a damn the minutes of the meeting can be read at:
http://tinyurl.com/bl7bzgq
The result of the motion to save the airfield was proposed by Labour (Page 15), is supported by Labour Councillors throughout the debate and the vote is recorded on page 17. It lists how the Councillors voted and those who abstained. Only Labour Councillors voted to support the airfield. Fact!
Whilst writing I note that Labour then proposed saving green belt land destined for development (page 18) and the minutes then record that Labour were, again, voted down by the Tories and LibDems (page 20). Fact!
Again all the Councillors names are recorded for posterity to protect us from idiots like JRumpole who try to reinvent history to protect their political masters.
It is no wonder that the Labour Councillors could not support the overall core strategy and abstained (page 21).”
by KBarad
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 4:38PM
“Some names I've not seen here in a long time. Good to know you've not let your respective pro/anti labour passions fade out! Before you attack my comments, however, I'll point out as usual: Labour failed to vote on the behalf of the people, LibCon actively voted against the people, therefore NOONE represented the people. I support no sides in that no side has supported us and I am strictly unaffiliated.
Now: my faults with the article:
"The consultation was thorough, extensive and objective and was carried out in a fair way. All of the information was presented to our elected members before any decision was made."
the consultation was thorough and extensive and presented to the elected (by whom?) members before decision was announced. It is clear the decision was made long before the closure was publically stated by BAE. There is FOI information proving that members of the council were directly supporting BAE and their campaign to close the airfield. The BAE document was used as the reference for the public consultations.
Maybe we should rephrase our protest: you consulted properly, you just ignored the conclusion when it didn't suit your goals! Several parish councils unanimously voted yet their representives on the SGC took the opposite position. Worse yet: we've heard several councillors stepping down and defecting giving claims that they were bullied to towing the party line: in what way was the consultation considered if the vote was party dictated?”
by JRumpole
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 2:18PM
“No Jockstrap tis you who lies...Labour councillors ALL abstained, they werent defeated as they didnt even vote!! Yes they tried to take the airfield part out but when that failed they folded their arms like naughty school children on a sulk...and yet Andy Perkins says they support the core strategy!! THEY DIDNT VOTE ON IT...
Get your ridiculous fact straight and stope defending the lame labour that is south glos!”
by JockstrapLie
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 12:54PM
“Here we go again! The Tory apologists once again wheeled out to try and reinvent history by saying that the airfield is closing because of Labour. It is shameful and the local MP should apologise on behalf of his activists for their deception.
The minority Labour group on South Gloucestershire Council tried to change the Core Strategy to remove plan to destroy the airfield. The Tories and LibDems, (who form the majority on the Council), defeated them by all voting to build on the airfield. They voted together except for one Tory Councillor who has now defected from the party. The Tories know that this is deeply unpopular because every consultation the Council did said so.... This is why the Tory bloggers are now spinning like whirling dervishes to get a different message across.
Whilst the ConDem Councillors joined together to vote in favour of the Core Strategy, Labour, rightly or wrongly, could not support it because of the section of the plan which will mean the end to the runway. JRumpole and Labour Stitch don't attack their Tory colleagues for supporting the destruction of the runway, they attack Labour for abstaining. Very peculiar.... #toryfail”
by BishopstonMan
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 11:00AM
“The local council was just thinking about all that extra council tax coming into their coffers that the redevelopment into housing would bring in and no doubt the back handers from BAe who has a great deal of experience in the field of bribery...”