LoPRA's Seventh Year

This year has seen a continuing generally low level of activity with no major new issues arising, and little movement on existing issues.

Committee members and others attended a meeting of the Hellifield Parish Council where a Craven District Council planning officer outlined the programme for Parish Profiles. The Local Development Framework and Local Development plan is to be shaped by the Parish Profiles for larger settlements likely to be the focus for future development in the Local development Plan.

The issue of the Gallaber tourism development was raised as being probably the largest single development site in Craven with an existing planning consent but where detail changes are under discussion. The site is split by the Long Preston and Hellifield boundary.

The offer of listening to local communities and including their aspirations in the local development Plan needs to be a point of focus in our future contact with the Local Development Plan team.

At a public meeting called by the Long Preston Parish council in 2010 a hand poll showed overwhelming support for retention of the Long Preston Conservation area as it exists and rejected a proposal for withdwawal of its boundaries to a smaller area, particularly in the Gallobar Caravan site area.

I can confirm that as a result of representations by ourselves and others, notably the local Save Our Craven Countryside (SOCC), both YDPA and CDC have now ratified retention of the Conservation Area as existing.

On the issue of Affordable Housing sites within the village a list of sites meeting the criteria set was announced last year but it is understood that no further decision has been taken by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

For the coming year it may be expected that the economic environment and public spending cuts will slow down the progress of ongoing issues but this cannot be taken as a certainty. It is possible for example that pre application discussions with the planners regarding Gallaber may reach a stage where further public participation is sought, or that a detailed planning application is registered, when there will be a time limit for comment or objection from the public.

In any event, it is important that we can claim to represent a significant sector of the community. This is the strength of our voice, and if there is a hiatus in new issues I believe this is an opportunity for persuading people to show their support for our general aim of protecting the village environment by registering their (to be confirmed at AGM) free membership for the year.

All present tonight can help in this by:

• telling others about LoPRA
• explaining the need to register their support so that we have on record the size of our support
• emphasising that it is free (if confirmed)
• suggesting or writing relevant short topics for the LoPRA page of the Village Magazine

See Committee Page for Contact Details.