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Last Updated: Wed 30^th Jan 08

Open Public Meeting on Thursday 1st February at 7:30pm in the Village Hall Topics for discussion will include: The A65 Predicament A summary of the result of the Public Inquiry and likelihood of detrunking. Is the bypass really dead and buried? A discussion of what options are now open to us. Affordable Housing Discussion on Craven District Councils supplementary Planning Document on this topic, with summary of the issues. Also a discussion of a proposed commercial shared equity scheme. The Pennine Bridleway News of the Pennine Bridle way, which passes through Long Preston, and its implications for the village. All are welcome at this meeting; so come and join in the discussion about these important topics which affect our village.	Craven District Council Local Development Framework Preparation of Core Strategy - Preferred Option Emerging Strategic Preferred Option Consultation/Issues and Options Feedback Event: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Granville Street, Friday 26^th January 2007 Following the above event, a report has been prepared by Envision, the consultants commissioned to carry out the Core Strategy Preferred Option work on behalf of the Council. The report contains information on the event and details the comments that were made during each of the four workshops that were held to discuss the issues raised during consultation on the Core Strategy Issues and Options draft. This report is available for you to view on the Craven District Council's website via this link. The Council reports that the event was well attended and feedback from delegates has been positive. CDC has thank everyone for their involvement in the production of the Core Strategy and will keep interested parties informed of the progress of the Core Strategy Preferred Option Draft and of any any future consultation events.
TRAMPS to return to Long Preston Following the success of the showing of the Film "Poseidon" on the 18th November, LoPRA had arranged with TRAMPS The Ribblesdale Area Moving Picture Show for a showing of a second film. The March of the Penguins on the 20th January. This documentary of the truly remarkable journey, which takes place each year as Emperor penguins cross the ice deserts of Antarctica, to reach their breeding grounds, was much appreciated by an audience of 48.

‘Clear Up, Clean and Tidy’ day A village clear up day is being held on Saturday 9^th September and we need volunteers EVERYONE WELCOME! Free refreshments will be provided for all those who muck in. If you wish to help please meet at the Playing Field Pavilion at 10am to be allocated an area and relevant equipment. Long Preston School and and Parish Council will each be involved with providing litter-collecting equipment and LoPRA volunteers will be providing refreshments on the day. However, as well as your time, donations of [bin bags and gloves] and [cakes or biscuits] are all welcome. As this is a voluntary event please let common sense prevail and note that all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and that no responsibility will be taken for any personal injury or other physical damage. For any enquiries contact heather@lopra.org.uk	"Dog Poo-ster Competition" Winning Posters soon to appear around the village. Click here to see the posters. Despite their placement of dog bins and disposal bags around the village, Long Preston Parish Council (LPPC) have advised that they are still being heavily lobbied by disgruntled residents about a few errant dog owners who are still allowing their dogs to leave their mark on our byways and highways or, worse, half doing the job and leaving their blue bags in walls, etc! They sought LoPRA’s support and ideas on how the issue might be further addressed. Recognising communication, along with shaming miscreant owners, was the best way to improve the situation, LoPRA sponsored a competition for all the pupils at our School to come up with poster ideas which get the message across. This was warmly supported by the Headmaster, Eric Gledhill, and proved very timely as the older pupils, coincidentally, were undertaking a poster design segment in their classes! The competition was kicked off with the help of the area Dog Warden, Mary Vickers, who was able to advise the wider aspects of dog ownership to the pupils. Pupils delivered 28 remarkable poster ideas, which gave the judges (delegates from LoPRA, LPPC, the local Art Class and Village Hall Committee) a difficult task picking out a Winner and 3 Runners Up. In the event the Winner, Robert Capstick aged 6, received a £25 prize and a certificate along with the experience of having his poster put forward for reproduction in a number of ways for use around the village and in the press. Certificates and £5 were also presented to Runners Up Molly Moon, Greg Thompson and Paddy Capstick.
Sign up to free e-newsletter TRANSPORT 2000 is launching a free e-bulletin which will be emailed every six to eight weeks. Signing up to this new service will help you keep up to date with campaign news and get the latest on Transport 2000 campaigns, including Streets for People, Growing the Railways, climate change and aviation. The e-bulletin will be attractively formatted and easy to navigate so you will be able to find the section you want quickly. It will have links to articles and the latest Streets for People newsletter on Transport 2000's website. If you would like to sign up for the e-bulletin send your email address to Kechi Petruzzelli at: kechi.petruzzelli@transport2000.org.uk	Summer Speed Watch! STREETS for PEOPLE will be holding a national Summer Speed Watch on Wednesday 7 June. We want communities and residents to show local authorities and the Government that communities want slower traffic speeds and safer streets. You maybe campaigning for a lower speed limit, for traffic calming or for enforcement of the speed limit you already have. Your Summer Speed Watch event may be a small demonstration on your street, placing posters in windows and gardens. Streets for People can provide posters, campaign briefings and car stickers; which are available to download from the Transport 2000 website in the Change Your Streets section, under Summer Speed Watch. www.transport2000.org.uk
NERC comes into Force The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, which was given Royal Assent on March 30, gives National Park Authorities (NPAs) new powers to manage the use of recreational vehicles like 4x4s, motorbikes and quadbikes in the National Parks. Sections of the Act that came into force on Tuesday, May 2, mean that, apart from some very rare exceptions, it is illegal to drive a recreational motor vehicle on any designated bridleway and footpath. Wilf Fenten of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has advised us that thanks to this NERC Act, signs will be going up on public footpaths and bridleways all over the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the next few weeks informing people that there are no public rights on them for recreational motor vehicles. More than 240kms of footpath and bridleway in the National Park were used by recreational motor vehicle drivers in the belief that they might have public motor vehicle rights. The Act removes the possibility of these rights on these routes, some of which are well-known like Occupation Road above Dentdale, the Craven Way between Dentdale and Ribblehead and routes over Carlton Moor in Coverdale. Click here for the full YDNP Press Release. Click here for a list of the effected Footpaths and Bridleways in the NYDNP You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded on your computer to open these files. It can be downloaded free from ..	Scotland Coast-to-Coast TGO Challenge 2006 Heather Thomas-Smith, the LoPRA Secretary, has completeed the The Great Outdoors Magazine backpacking challenge across Scotland, now in its 27th year. Participants had to plan their own route via signing in points starting on Scotland's West Coast, between Ardrishaig and Torridon, before finishing at a point of their choice between Fraserburgh and Arbroath and finally signing out at Montrose. The event is undertaken over two weeks and is a self-supported trek with the walk planned and entirely carried out by the participants. Heather's route started at Mallaig on Friday 12th May before heading into Knoydart, through Invergarry, over the Corrieyairack Pass, through the Cairngorms via Glen Feshie and the Geldie Burn to Braemar, up and over Lochnagar before heading eastwards via the River Esk and with final completion on the beach near St Cyrus. Overall she covered over 200 miles and some 38,000' of ascent, including several Munros, and, for 11/13 of her nights en route, she was wild camping. Sponsorship in Aid of Long Preston Primary School Although this was a 'personal challenge' rather than a 'charity challenge' Heather wishes to use it to raise money towards buying much needed Gymnastic equipment for Long Preston Endowed Primary School. Anyone or business wishing to sponsor Heather should contact her directly on 01729 840113 or fill in this On-Line Sponsorship Form which will be e-mailed to her. Click here to see maps of her route and photographs.
Off-Road Vehicles and Trail Bikes The Long Preston Parish Council is concerned about the damage being done to some of the footpaths and bridleways on the moor above the village. A group of Trail Bikes have recently been seen riding straight up the hills, not even attempting to keep to the paths; with consequent disturbance to ground nesting birds, let alone the resulting visual damage to the grass and the disturbing noise. On a foot path between Langbar Lane and New Pasture Plantation the Parish Council is arranging with the land owner to install kissing-gates and padlock the main gate, in an attempt to prevent this being used as a circular route. Historically the main track from Long Preston over Hunters Bark was the main road to Settle and is still officially a public highway and consequently open to all vehicles. So although 4 wheel drive leisure vehicles and trail bikes can not be prevented from using this route, they must stay on the actual track and have no right wander over the hill. However, because it is a public highway, all vehicles on this track must, by law, be fully roadworthy, have lights, number plates, efficient silencers and be taxed and insured. This even applies to the small children's motorbikes which seem to be showing an appearance; despite the fact that there is a lower age limit for driving a motorised vehicle on a public highway.	Long Preston May Day Celebrations - 6th May The LoPRA Committee would like to thank all those who came and had a chat at the LoPRA stall. We are please to report that the ticket sales for the LoPRA Raffle came to £53; which will be donated in equal portions to the funds for the May Day Committee, the Playing Field and the Village Hall Fund. The first number drawn was for John Cressey, who opted for a bottle of wine, leaving the Family Ticket to be won by the Ritchie family. Other winners were Taylor, McBride, Birrell, Coates, Bennett, Harker, Sellers and Rishton.
Change of Chair at LoPRA Keith Grimshaw has now taken over from Heather Thomas-Smith as Chairperson of LoPRA. We are not letting Heather idle her time away though, as she is taking on the post of General Secretary, which has been vacant for about a year - with Heather actually doing the work! The rest of the committee will continue to take minutes of meetings on a rota basis. Heather will still be the main contact for correspondence, and for the Newsletter.
We Love Your Dog. but . . . . . The Long Preston Parish Council is also concerned about the amount of dog waste that is being left on the verges around the village, even outside the school. Special purpose waste bins are sited around the village and everyone is reminded to clean up after their dog and preferably take it home, or at least deposit it in the dog bins. Pooper bags are available free from the post office and of course can be bought from any pet shop. But please do not leave you little bags tucked into walls or gateposts - like any litter: if you took it there, then bring it back. The Parish Council have tried to get some more bins installed by Craven District Council, who apparently have plenty of new ones in storage, but have no money to erect them. They have to put on a stand-alone post, which is expensive to install. The Utility Companies quite rightly object to them being fixed to lamp posts or telegraph poles, as these have to be accessed from time to time by service engineers. The bins in storage are being kept for replacement of existing bins, if they become damaged.	TRAMPS Update We are going to put on a film show in the village hall, but it will not be till later in the year. During the summer the evening sun shines right into the hall and the curtains are not thick enough to give sufficient blackout. The Village Hall Committee are looking into getting a blackout lining fitted to the present curtains. So we will organise film shows when either the evenings get longer again or the blackout is fitted, which ever is first. You should all have seen some details of the sort of films that are available from the fliers and last LoPRA newsletter.
Public Inquiry into the A65 Bypass Revocation Order The Public Inquiry into the Revocation Order started on Tuesday 21st February in Gargrave School, Neville Road. It closed on Thursday, with a final site visit on Friday. See A65 Public Inquiry for further details.
North Yorkshire Rural Target Fund The Rural Target Fund will operate across rural North Yorkshire and will provide a single point of contact for rural communities to apply for funding to support their work, particularly economic, social, community and environmental development initiatives. Click here for some further details	Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Performance Assessment The National Park Authorities, with the support of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have engaged in a voluntary process of performance assessment. Click here to download a copy of the final report of the assessment for the North Yorkshire National Park Authority. The file size is 164KB You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded on your computer to open this file. It can be downloaded free from ......
Photograph by John Finnigan Flashing for a Day The A65 Working Group of LoPRA obtained the use of a portable speed monitor for a day. This was delivered and set up for us at the West End of the village, by the Fire Brigade on Tuesday 10th January. As well as lighting up in glorious flashing colour when a vehicle exceeded the speed limit by a significant amount, it also counted and recorded the speed of every vehicle that it monitored. Note that this will be less than the total number of vehicles, as the system can only detect the lead vehicle in a group. Normally these signs are only operated for a few hours by Fire Brigade personnel, but because LoPRA undertook to watch over it ( in case in blew over or someone ran off with it!) we had it from before 9am to after 4pm. We hope to get the data from the recording next week, and plan to include the data in our presentation to the Public Inquiry into the revocation of the Bypass Orders.	Craven District Council Planning Committee 25^th July 2005 Decision on "The Hellifield Rural Development Centre" Deferred. Several councillors expressed dismay that because of the earlier granting of Outline Planning Permission, there was very little that could now be done to prevent this unpopular development. The only matters open for discussion were details of material for the buildings and lighting arrangements, and the location of the two newly proposed managers' houses. Some councillors expressed doubt that the proposed Agri-Tourism Centre would be viable, and were concerned that it was a back-door means of implementing plans to turn it into a retail park. The present naked steel frame structure was supposed to be a railway museum, but had not progressed for numerous years, and the developer was facing pending prosecution for contravention of building regulations. The Chairman stated that if this was a new application then he was certain it would be rejected - " We are picking up the mess from earlier planning decisions." The committee decided to defer any decision on the application using the technicality that no decisions could be made until a Management Plan was agreed between the developer and English Nature regarding the wetland area. A more detailed report will follow shortly.
Craven District Council's Report on "The Hellifield Rural Development Centre" July 2005 The Gallaber Development The report is available here in PDF format This is the text of the Report for Craven District Council, summarising the current status of the Detailed Planning Application at the Gallaber Farm site, between Long Preston and Hellifield. It lists in detail the recent objections to the proposed plans, and outlines where these are inadmissible due to the earlier granting of Outline Planning permission. Objections from other Government Agencies and NGOs are also reported. Objectors will today ( Tues 19th July ) have received a letter from Mrs Sian Watson, Head of Planning and Building Control Services at CDC, stating that this item is on the agenda of the next Planning Committee on 25th July 2005, at 1:30 pm in the Council Chamber, Granville Street, Skipton. Those wishing to attend you are asked to contact Chris Waterhouse ( Committee Clerk )on 01756 706235 no later than 22nd July. Note: Only ONE person will be allowed to speak on behalf of all 45 Objectors, for up to 5 minutes. The LoPRA Committee will be seeking to make a presentation.	Craven District Council's "Shaping Places and Spaces Conference" 9th June 2005. Voting at the conference vindicates LoPRA's campaigns on two key issues Committee members of LoPRA attended this conference which introduced the new Local Development Framework which will come into force as a government requirement in September 2007. It will replace the current Local Plans which are each a single document and which are reviewed and amended infrequently. The LDF comprises documents on relevant matters which may be reviewed as necessary and acted upon without delay within the framework. The government intends that the LDF will permit greater public consultation and a faster response in planning matters. Taking a contrary view your representatives felt that this was a tool whereby the government could push through its own agenda without the delays that frustrate it at present - each issue supported by a consultation exercise which local authorities and government will use to "prove" that democracy has been served. This particular "consultation" day was handled rather like the consultations (Planning for Real events) for the Long Preston Village Plan a couple of years ago. Presentations were given by the Leader of the Council, the Chief Executive and Planning Officers, after which workshops addressed four topic areas. The key issues within these topic areas were identified by delegates, who included local elected bodies including parish councils, voluntary bodies and the business community. All delegates were then given the opportunity to vote for their own priority issues. A breakdown of the highest scoring key issues is given under each topic as follows [number of votes shown in square brackets alongside]: Development Vision - roads and rail investment [20] - environment a priority in deciding planning applications [16] - access to services and employment by sustainable modes of transport [15] - understand existing built environment before new development [13] - BYPASS ON A65 [11] (LoPRA's emphasis!) Housing - affordable housing policies should be much more transparent and/or prescriptive [20] - long term impact on community and character [14] - direct development to sustainable communities [13] Employment - new development in sustainable locations reflecting infrastructure, transport and housing [21] - design quality in sympathy with surroundings [17] - need new model for provision of employment land [11] - use brownfield land for employment. [11] - do not want a commuter economy [7] Environment - encourage rural employment to secure sustainable communities [23] - scale of new development should be appropriate to size of settlement [22] - use of rural buildings for living/work units [14] - encourage sustainable building techniques [14] - access and connectivity (transport and IT) [10] So, the need for affordable housing policies to be more transparent and prescriptive (i.e. to say precisely what is affordable housing, and who it is for) was a top issue, and it is quite remarkable that out of a voting "electorate" from the whole of Craven, the A65 bypass was voted the 14th most important priority out of a total of 88.
THE GALLABER DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS These cover both sides of the A65, on the road to Hellifield, beyond the railway. The entire area between the railway and the ‘road to nowhere’ will become a carpark. On the other corner of the A65 and the ‘road to nowhere’ will be a 3 storey 40 bedroom hotel. Between the lake and the A65 are a series of concrete and wood structures, most politely described as Nissen huts, to provide a shop, tea-room, an environment centre, etc. On the opposite side of the A65, roughly covering part of the existing lorry park, will be stables and a new house. Long Preston Parish Council has seen the plans and will be objecting on a number of grounds. LoPRA will support the Parish Council and will object. These current plans are different from the outline planning permission granted a few years ago. It seems to be a corridor development with the real danger of later in-fill. This would mean a continuation of buildings between Hellifield and Long Preston. No longer would either be a village. Is it sustainable? Long Preston has 2 pubs offering B&B, a hotel and several other B&Bs. What is the risk to them? What about the effect on our PO and shop as well as effect on Hellifield’s businesses. Furthermore, if Gallaber proves unsustainable, the next stage is most likely a change of use to housing. If there are to be stables, where are the bridleways? Why is there a new house there? The house on the ‘road to nowhere’ was originally meant as a manager’s house. It has now been changed to purely residential. The principle of a tourist development on this land is good, as it will bring jobs. But this development is currently unacceptable in terms of lay-out, design and appearance. YOU CAN HAVE AN EFFECT. The more objections that are made, the more likely Craven DC will require a more appropriate development. If you agree with LoPRA and the Parish Council, please object to the plans and give grounds for your objection. - 4 suggestions are above. Please write to: Head of Planning Craven DC Planning Department Granville Street, SKIPTON BD23 1P Quoting: Proposals at Gallaber, Long Preston. Objections had to be received by Craven DC no later than 15^th April.	We are pleased to report that the YDNP Planning Authority has rejected this Planning Application on the grounds that it is outside the development boundary of the village. TOWN HEAD FARM DEVELOPMENT at WEST END. VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY UNDER THREAT The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNP) has received a further application for development on the Town Head Farm site. The application for outline planning permission from Pentmoor Developments is for a new 4 bedroom dwelling. The proposed development is outside the housing development boundary for Long Preston and should strictly be refused on these grounds alone. In line with LoPRA’s intent to vigorously defend all attempts to break through the development boundary into our green field surrounds, LoPRA have made representations to YDNP seeking to have the application summarily refused. It should also be noted that the proposal is for commercial gain and is well outside any YDNP prescription for “local occupancy” and/or “affordable” housing. Planning approval remains a fragile process and although one would hope that the proposals will be refused, it is important that individual voices are heard (as with the Gallaber and A65 proposals). Accordingly you are urged to make your voice heard and resist this attempt to break down the development boundaries of our village by writing directly to: Mr Daniel Child, Senior Planning Officer, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Yorebridge House, Bainbridge, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 3EE Or e-mail daniel.child@yorkshiredales.org.uk quoting Reference C/52/662. Objections had to be received by Monday April 11^th
VILLAGE ‘CLEAR UP, CLEAN & TIDY’ DAY A Village clear up day is being held on Saturday 16^th July and we need volunteers – EVERYONE WELCOME! Free refreshments will be provided for all those who muck in. If you wish to help please meet at the Village hall at 10am to be allocated an area and relevant equipment. Long Preston School will be holding a litter awareness week leading up to this date and having a poster competition on the subject. The school and Parish Council will each be involved with providing litter-collecting equipment and LoPRA volunteers will be providing refreshments on the day. However, as well as your time, donations of [bin bags and gloves] and [cakes or biscuits] are all welcome. As this is a voluntary event please let common sense prevail and note that all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and that no responsibility will be taken for any personal injury or other physical damage. For any enquiries contact heather@lopra.org.uk
A65 Revocation Order The Highways Agency has issued a Public Notice regarding a draft Revocation Order for the A65 Trunk Road and the Gargrave, Hellifield and Long Preston Bypasses. Objections to this Revocation Order have to be received by 22nd April. Briefly this means that they propose that the A65 be no longer classified as a Trunk Road. Responsibility for it would then pass from the Highways Agency to the North Yorkshire County Council. The currently preserved line of the dormant bypass would then no longer be protected and the land could be sold off. Whilst there is no immediate possibility of a bypass being built, it would seem to be prudent to maintain the line in public ownership. With the ever increasing traffic on the A65 it is probable that some time in the future a bypass will be essential. Watch the A65 Working Group Page for further details	Meeting with Officers of the YDNPA on Wed 9th March The committee of LoPRA have had a very useful and informative meeting with Mr David Butterworth, the Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and with Mr Peter Watson, the Head of Planning. A report of this meeting will be presented at the Public Meeting of LoPRA, in the Village Hall on Tuesday the 15th March.
From the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's website. RESTRICTED OCCUPANCY GOES AHEAD IN THE DALES Virtually all new homes given planning permission in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales in the future can only be built for local people with a need to live there. Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s (YDNPA) planning committee have agreed the restrictive occupancy policy as a way of tackling the problem of high house prices that is preventing local people from staying in the area. It means that virtually all new homes can only be built in the Dales if they meet local housing needs and are sold at below-market prices to local people. They cannot be bought as second homes or as holiday lets. The policy – part of the Authority’s Yorkshire Dales Local Plan – was backed by Government Planning Inspector William Carlow, who held a public inquiry last summer into objections against the Local Plan. In January this year the YDNPA planning committee endorsed the housing policy in principle but referred it to a working party to consider the detailed wording in the light of the Local Plan inspector’s recommendations. After yesterday’s (12 April) decision, following discussion of the working party’s report, YDNPA Strategic Planning Officer Peter Stockton said: “It is an important step forward. It means that all new applications for housing in villages within the Dales will need to be justified on the grounds of local need – and approval will be restricted to local occupancy. “This means in turn that we can start to target the remaining housing sites at people who need to live and work in the Dales. It’s a way of meeting our duty to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within the National Park.” Authority chairman Carl Lis said: “I think it’s a big day for the Authority. It will enable us to get to the position we think we should be at in terms of meeting local needs.” The YDNPA’s radical policy has been brought to the attention of the Scottish Executive’s Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm by Highlands and Islands Scottish MP Maureen Macmillan. She has asked him to investigate the possibility of introducing a similar plan in Scotland, which also suffers problems in keeping rural communities local. A copy of the Local Plan and the Inspector’s report is available to the public on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s website at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk.
The A65 Working Group has it's First Meeting A semi-formal meeting of the A65 Working Group took place on January 13^th 2005. Present were; Messrs John Rodgers, Ian Evans, Robert Cater, John Goodall and Roy Newhouse. Mr Steven Loughlin did not wish to become a committee member of the A65 Working Group but indicated his willingness to help out with any other practical matters. It was agreed that John Rodgers chair the meeting, Ian Evans would record the minutes and that the group would meet every three months and submit regular progress reports to the LoPRA committee. The aims and objectives of the group would be to identify and to lobby the current authority responsible for the upkeep of the A65 Trunk Road (and when de-trunked). To get urgent repairs done to the road surface throughout Long Preston, in particular on Kayley Hill where the road is subsiding, and to have the grates and kerbs through the village repaired, especially at the junctions of Station Road and Hartley Green. To achieve long term repairs and resurfacing with “quiet tarmac” to reduce traffic noise throughout the length of the village. To implement practical methods of reducing traffic noise and vibrations from passing HGV’s to adjoining houses along the A65. To ask Mr Holsworth to come to Long Preston, meet the Working Group and discuss the problems further. As a result of this interesting and very positive meeting, a letter was sent from me to Peter Holsworth of the Highways Agency, expressing our concern about the various problems, the repeated floods in our area and the deteriorating condition of the A65. We also enquired as to what steps were being taken to remedy these problems. To date, no reply has been received from Mr Holsworth. The above concerns were again expressed at a meeting on January 28^th with David Curry MP. He has taken up the issues we raised about the A65 with Mr Mike Moore, the Director of Environmental Services at N.Y.C.C. who are submitting a programme of highway construction and maintenance to the Government for the next five years. Mr Curry has written to us to say that he will be in touch as soon as he has a reply from Mr Moore. Footnote: The subsidence at Kayley Hill has today - 7th Feb. been repaired!
Critique of the Long Preston Housing needs Survey A resident of Long Preston, who has many years experience of market research, has undertaken a detailed analyses of the survey, comparing it's methodology with established guidelines for surveys, and with the guidelines from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for analysing data from housing needs surveys. Click here to down load a copy of this document in PDF format. Peter Scott-Smith: January 6th 2005
Survey is to be carried out on housing needs A DISTRICT-WIDE housing needs survey to complement those already carried out in villages has received support from local councillors. Members of Craven District Council's performance and resources committee agreed to find £35,000 to meet the cost of the survey, which will be carried out in early 2005. In addition, there was £25,000 available from the former LSVT (council housing transfer) reserve and £10,000 has already been allocated to a Skipton Town Survey. Committee members were told that it was proposed to seek further contributions towards the cost from housing associations. And the survey results could be made available, at a cost, to interested parties such as developers. The council last carried out a district-wide housing needs survey in 2001. It is generally regarded as good practice to carry out such surveys every three to four years. As well as finding out the district's future housing needs, the survey will focus on housing for key workers and hidden homelessness. These are particular areas of housing need on which the council currently has little or no available information. Chief executive Gill Dixon said the survey was a "completely different animal" to village surveys using different methodology. It will give us the rigour we need to address affordable housing in the future," she said. Coun Ken Hart said he welcomed the survey. "We do need this to prove the need for affordable homes," he said. *Craven Herald: Friday Dec 31st 2004*
First Quarterly Meeting 13th December, 2004 LoPRA held its first quarterly meeting in the Village Hall in the week before Christmas. Approximately 60 residents attended. The timing of the meeting was good because the Inspector's report into the Yorkshire Dales Local Plan had been published the week before. As a result, there was a good discussion on a range of issues and a number of views were put forward. Your Chairperson asked if she could present these views to the National Park members at their Special Meeting to be held on 19th January. Unfortunately, LoPRA has been advised that this is not possible as individuals are not allowed to address the Committee about policy matters. LoPRA members were asked to agree the priorities for the Association over the next 3 -6 months. It was decided that work should concentrate on establishing an accurate figure for the number of households requiring affordable housing, issues on the A65 and helping the Parish Council to implement the Village Plan.
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Open Public Meeting
on Thursday 1st February
at 7:30pm in the Village Hall

Topics for discussion will include:

The A65 Predicament
A summary of the result of the Public Inquiry and likelihood of detrunking.

Is the bypass really dead and buried?
A discussion of what options are now open to us.

Affordable Housing
Discussion on Craven District Councils supplementary Planning Document on this topic, with summary of the issues. Also a discussion of a proposed commercial shared equity scheme.

The Pennine Bridleway
News of the Pennine Bridle way, which passes through Long Preston, and its implications for the village.

All are welcome at this meeting;
so come and join in the discussion
about these important topics
which affect our village.

Craven District Council
Local Development Framework

Preparation of Core Strategy - Preferred Option

Emerging Strategic Preferred Option Consultation/Issues and Options Feedback Event: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Granville Street, Friday 26^th January 2007

Following the above event, a report has been prepared by Envision, the consultants commissioned to carry out the Core Strategy Preferred Option work on behalf of the Council. The report contains information on the event and details the comments that were made during each of the four workshops that were held to discuss the issues raised during consultation on the Core Strategy Issues and Options draft.

This report is available for you to view on the Craven District Council's website via this link.

The Council reports that the event was well attended and feedback from delegates has been positive. CDC has thank everyone for their involvement in the production of the Core Strategy and will keep interested parties informed of the progress of the Core Strategy Preferred Option Draft and of any any future consultation events.

TRAMPS to return to Long Preston

Following the success of the showing of the Film "Poseidon" on the 18th November, LoPRA had arranged with TRAMPS
The Ribblesdale Area Moving Picture Show
for a showing of a second film. The March of the Penguins on the 20th January.

This documentary of the truly remarkable journey, which takes place each year as Emperor penguins cross the ice deserts of Antarctica, to reach their breeding grounds, was much appreciated by an audience of 48.

‘Clear Up, Clean and Tidy’ day

A village clear up day is being held on Saturday 9^th September
and we need volunteers
EVERYONE WELCOME!

Free refreshments will be provided for all those who muck in.

If you wish to help please meet at the Playing Field Pavilion at 10am to be allocated an area and relevant equipment.

Long Preston School and and Parish Council will each be involved with providing litter-collecting equipment and LoPRA volunteers will be providing refreshments on the day.

However, as well as your time, donations of [bin bags and gloves] and [cakes or biscuits] are all welcome.

As this is a voluntary event please let common sense prevail and note that all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and that no responsibility will be taken for any personal injury or other physical damage.

For any enquiries contact heather@lopra.org.uk

"Dog Poo-ster Competition"

Winning Posters soon to appear around the village. Click here to see the posters.

Despite their placement of dog bins and disposal bags around the village, Long Preston Parish Council (LPPC) have advised that they are still being heavily lobbied by disgruntled residents about a few errant dog owners who are still allowing their dogs to leave their mark on our byways and highways or, worse, half doing the job and leaving their blue bags in walls, etc! They sought LoPRA’s support and ideas on how the issue might be further addressed.

Recognising communication, along with shaming miscreant owners, was the best way to improve the situation, LoPRA sponsored a competition for all the pupils at our School to come up with poster ideas which get the message across. This was warmly supported by the Headmaster, Eric Gledhill, and proved very timely as the older pupils, coincidentally, were undertaking a poster design segment in their classes! The competition was kicked off with the help of the area Dog Warden, Mary Vickers, who was able to advise the wider aspects of dog ownership to the pupils.

Pupils delivered 28 remarkable poster ideas, which gave the judges (delegates from LoPRA, LPPC, the local Art Class and Village Hall Committee) a difficult task picking out a Winner and 3 Runners Up.

In the event the Winner, Robert Capstick aged 6, received a £25 prize and a certificate along with the experience of having his poster put forward for reproduction in a number of ways for use around the village and in the press. Certificates and £5 were also presented to Runners Up Molly Moon, Greg Thompson and Paddy Capstick.

Sign up to free e-newsletter

TRANSPORT 2000 is launching a free e-bulletin which will be emailed every six to eight weeks. Signing up to this new service will help you keep up to date with campaign news and get the latest on Transport 2000 campaigns, including Streets for People, Growing the Railways, climate change and aviation.

The e-bulletin will be attractively formatted and easy to navigate so you will be able to find the section you want quickly. It will have links to articles and the latest Streets for People newsletter on Transport 2000's website.

If you would like to sign up for the e-bulletin send your email address to Kechi Petruzzelli at:
kechi.petruzzelli@transport2000.org.uk

Summer Speed Watch!

STREETS for PEOPLE will be holding a national Summer Speed Watch on Wednesday 7 June. We want communities and residents to show local authorities and the Government that communities want slower traffic speeds and safer streets.

You maybe campaigning for a lower speed limit, for traffic calming or for enforcement of the speed limit you already have. Your Summer Speed Watch event may be a small demonstration on your street, placing posters in windows and gardens.

Streets for People can provide posters, campaign briefings and car stickers; which are available to download from the Transport 2000 website in the Change Your Streets section, under Summer Speed Watch. www.transport2000.org.uk

NERC comes into Force

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, which was given Royal Assent on March 30, gives National Park Authorities (NPAs) new powers to manage the use of recreational vehicles like 4x4s, motorbikes and quadbikes in the National Parks.

Sections of the Act that came into force on Tuesday, May 2, mean that, apart from some very rare exceptions, it is illegal to drive a recreational motor vehicle on any designated bridleway and footpath.

Wilf Fenten of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has advised us that thanks to this NERC Act, signs will be going up on public footpaths and bridleways all over the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the next few weeks informing people that there are no public rights on them for recreational motor vehicles.

More than 240kms of footpath and bridleway in the National Park were used by recreational motor vehicle drivers in the belief that they might have public motor vehicle rights.

The Act removes the possibility of these rights on these routes, some of which are well-known like Occupation Road above Dentdale, the Craven Way between Dentdale and Ribblehead and routes over Carlton Moor in Coverdale.

Click here for the
full YDNP Press Release.

Click here for a list of the effected Footpaths and Bridleways in the NYDNP

You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded on your computer to open these files.
It can be downloaded free from ..

Scotland Coast-to-Coast
TGO Challenge 2006

Heather Thomas-Smith, the LoPRA Secretary, has completeed the The Great Outdoors Magazine backpacking challenge across Scotland, now in its 27th year. Participants had to plan their own route via signing in points starting on Scotland's West Coast, between Ardrishaig and Torridon, before finishing at a point of their choice between Fraserburgh and Arbroath and finally signing out at Montrose.

The event is undertaken over two weeks and is a self-supported trek with the walk planned and entirely carried out by the participants.

Heather's route started at Mallaig on Friday 12th May before heading into Knoydart, through Invergarry, over the Corrieyairack Pass, through the Cairngorms via Glen Feshie and the Geldie Burn to Braemar, up and over Lochnagar before heading eastwards via the River Esk and with final completion on the beach near St Cyrus. Overall she covered over 200 miles and some 38,000' of ascent, including several Munros, and, for 11/13 of her nights en route, she was wild camping.

Sponsorship in Aid of
Long Preston Primary School

Although this was a 'personal challenge' rather than a 'charity challenge' Heather wishes to use it to raise money towards buying much needed Gymnastic equipment for Long Preston Endowed Primary School. Anyone or business wishing to sponsor Heather should contact her directly on 01729 840113 or fill in this On-Line Sponsorship Form which will be e-mailed to her.

Click here to see
maps of her route and photographs.

Off-Road Vehicles
and Trail Bikes

The Long Preston Parish Council is concerned about the damage being done to some of the footpaths and bridleways on the moor above the village. A group of Trail Bikes have recently been seen riding straight up the hills, not even attempting to keep to the paths; with consequent disturbance to ground nesting birds, let alone the resulting visual damage to the grass and the disturbing noise.

On a foot path between Langbar Lane and New Pasture Plantation the Parish Council is arranging with the land owner to install kissing-gates and padlock the main gate, in an attempt to prevent this being used as a circular route.

Historically the main track from Long Preston over Hunters Bark was the main road to Settle and is still officially a public highway and consequently open to all vehicles. So although 4 wheel drive leisure vehicles and trail bikes can not be prevented from using this route, they must stay on the actual track and have no right wander over the hill.

However, because it is a public highway, all vehicles on this track must, by law, be fully roadworthy, have lights, number plates, efficient silencers and be taxed and insured.
This even applies to the small children's motorbikes which seem to be showing an appearance; despite the fact that there is a lower age limit for driving a motorised vehicle on a public highway.

Long Preston May Day
Celebrations - 6th May

The LoPRA Committee would like to thank all those who came and had a chat at the LoPRA stall.

We are please to report that the ticket sales for the LoPRA Raffle came to £53; which will be donated in equal portions to the funds for the May Day Committee, the Playing Field and the Village Hall Fund.

The first number drawn was for John Cressey, who opted for a bottle of wine, leaving the Family Ticket to be won by the Ritchie family. Other winners were Taylor, McBride, Birrell, Coates, Bennett, Harker, Sellers and Rishton.

Change of Chair at LoPRA

Keith Grimshaw has now taken over from Heather Thomas-Smith as Chairperson of LoPRA.
We are not letting Heather idle her time away though, as she is taking on the post of General Secretary, which has been vacant for about a year - with Heather actually doing the work!

The rest of the committee will continue to take minutes of meetings on a rota basis. Heather will still be the main contact for correspondence, and for the Newsletter.

We Love Your Dog.
but . . . . .

The Long Preston Parish Council is also concerned about the amount of dog waste that is being left on the verges around the village, even outside the school.

Special purpose waste bins are sited around the village and everyone is reminded to clean up after their dog and preferably take it home, or at least deposit it in the dog bins. Pooper bags are available free from the post office and of course can be bought from any pet shop. But please do not leave you little bags tucked into walls or gateposts
- like any litter: if you took it there,
then bring it back.

The Parish Council have tried to get some more bins installed by Craven District Council, who apparently have plenty of new ones in storage, but have no money to erect them. They have to put on a stand-alone post, which is expensive to install. The Utility Companies quite rightly object to them being fixed to lamp posts or telegraph poles, as these have to be accessed from time to time by service engineers. The bins in storage are being kept for replacement of existing bins, if they become damaged.

TRAMPS Update

We are going to put on a film show in the village hall, but it will not be till later in the year. During the summer the evening sun shines right into the hall and the curtains are not thick enough to give sufficient blackout. The Village Hall Committee are looking into getting a blackout lining fitted to the present curtains. So we will organise film shows when either the evenings get longer again or the blackout is fitted, which ever is first.

You should all have seen some details of the sort of films that are available from the fliers and last LoPRA newsletter.

Public Inquiry into the A65 Bypass Revocation Order

The Public Inquiry into the Revocation Order started on Tuesday 21st February in Gargrave School, Neville Road.
It closed on Thursday, with a final site visit on Friday.

See A65 Public Inquiry for further details.

North Yorkshire
Rural Target Fund

The Rural Target Fund will operate across rural North Yorkshire and will provide a single point of contact for rural communities to apply for funding to support their work, particularly economic, social, community and environmental development initiatives.

Click here for some further details

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Performance Assessment

The National Park Authorities, with the support of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have engaged in a voluntary process of performance assessment.

Click here to download a copy of the
final report of the assessment for the
North Yorkshire National Park Authority.

The file size is 164KB

You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded on your computer to open this file.
It can be downloaded free from ......

Photograph by John Finnigan

Flashing for a Day

The A65 Working Group of LoPRA obtained the use of a portable speed monitor for a day. This was delivered and set up for us at the West End of the village, by the Fire Brigade on Tuesday 10th January.

As well as lighting up in glorious flashing colour when a vehicle exceeded the speed limit by a significant amount, it also counted and recorded the speed of every vehicle that it monitored. Note that this will be less than the total number of vehicles, as the system can only detect the lead vehicle in a group.

Normally these signs are only operated for a few hours by Fire Brigade personnel, but because LoPRA undertook to watch over it ( in case in blew over or someone ran off with it!) we had it from before 9am to after 4pm.

We hope to get the data from the recording next week, and plan to include the data in our presentation to the Public Inquiry into the revocation of the Bypass Orders.

Craven District Council Planning Committee
25^th July 2005

Decision on
"The Hellifield Rural Development Centre"
Deferred.

Several councillors expressed dismay that because of the earlier granting of Outline Planning Permission, there was very little that could now be done to prevent this unpopular development. The only matters open for discussion were details of material for the buildings and lighting arrangements, and the location of the two newly proposed managers' houses.

Some councillors expressed doubt that the proposed Agri-Tourism Centre would be viable, and were concerned that it was a back-door means of implementing plans to turn it into a retail park. The present naked steel frame structure was supposed to be a railway museum, but had not progressed for numerous years, and the developer was facing pending prosecution for contravention of building regulations.

The Chairman stated that if this was a new application then he was certain it would be rejected - " We are picking up the mess from earlier planning decisions."

The committee decided to defer any decision on the application using the technicality that no decisions could be made until a Management Plan was agreed between the developer and English Nature regarding the wetland area.

A more detailed report will follow shortly.

Craven District Council's
Report on
"The Hellifield Rural Development Centre"
July 2005

The Gallaber Development

The report is available here in PDF format

This is the text of the Report for Craven District Council, summarising the current status of the Detailed Planning Application at the Gallaber Farm site, between Long Preston and Hellifield.

It lists in detail the recent objections to the proposed plans, and outlines where these are inadmissible due to the earlier granting of Outline Planning permission. Objections from other Government Agencies and NGOs are also reported.

Objectors will today ( Tues 19th July ) have received a letter from Mrs Sian Watson, Head of Planning and Building Control Services at CDC, stating that this item is on the agenda of the next Planning Committee on 25th July 2005, at 1:30 pm in the Council Chamber, Granville Street, Skipton.

Those wishing to attend you are asked to contact Chris Waterhouse ( Committee Clerk )on 01756 706235 no later than 22nd July.

Note: Only ONE person will be allowed to speak on behalf of all 45 Objectors, for up to 5 minutes. The LoPRA Committee will be seeking to make a presentation.

Craven District Council's
"Shaping Places and Spaces Conference"
9th June 2005.

Voting at the conference vindicates LoPRA's campaigns on two key issues

Committee members of LoPRA attended this conference which introduced the new Local Development Framework which will come into force as a government requirement in September 2007. It will replace the current Local Plans which are each a single document and which are reviewed and amended infrequently. The LDF comprises documents on relevant matters which may be reviewed as necessary and acted upon without delay within the framework. The government intends that the LDF will permit greater public consultation and a faster response in planning matters.

Taking a contrary view your representatives felt that this was a tool whereby the government could push through its own agenda without the delays that frustrate it at present - each issue supported by a consultation exercise which local authorities and government will use to "prove" that democracy has been served.

This particular "consultation" day was handled rather like the consultations (Planning for Real events) for the Long Preston Village Plan a couple of years ago. Presentations were given by the Leader of the Council, the Chief Executive and Planning Officers, after which workshops addressed four topic areas.

The key issues within these topic areas were identified by delegates, who included local elected bodies including parish councils, voluntary bodies and the business community. All delegates were then given the opportunity to vote for their own priority issues. A breakdown of the highest scoring key issues is given under each topic as follows [number of votes shown in square brackets alongside]:

Development Vision - roads and rail investment [20] - environment a priority in deciding planning applications [16] - access to services and employment by sustainable modes of transport [15] - understand existing built environment before new development [13] - BYPASS ON A65 [11] (LoPRA's emphasis!)

Housing - affordable housing policies should be much more transparent and/or prescriptive [20] - long term impact on community and character [14] - direct development to sustainable communities [13]

Employment - new development in sustainable locations reflecting infrastructure, transport and housing [21] - design quality in sympathy with surroundings [17] - need new model for provision of employment land [11] - use brownfield land for employment. [11] - do not want a commuter economy [7]

Environment - encourage rural employment to secure sustainable communities [23] - scale of new development should be appropriate to size of settlement [22] - use of rural buildings for living/work units [14] - encourage sustainable building techniques [14] - access and connectivity (transport and IT) [10]

So, the need for affordable housing policies to be more transparent and prescriptive (i.e. to say precisely what is affordable housing, and who it is for) was a top issue, and it is quite remarkable that out of a voting "electorate" from the whole of Craven, the A65 bypass was voted the 14th most important priority out of a total of 88.

THE GALLABER DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS

These cover both sides of the A65, on the road to Hellifield, beyond the railway.

The entire area between the railway and the ‘road to nowhere’ will become a carpark.
On the other corner of the A65 and the ‘road to nowhere’ will be a 3 storey 40 bedroom hotel.
Between the lake and the A65 are a series of concrete and wood structures, most politely described as Nissen huts, to provide a shop, tea-room, an environment centre, etc.
On the opposite side of the A65, roughly covering part of the existing lorry park, will be stables and a new house.

Long Preston Parish Council has seen the plans and will be objecting on a number of grounds. LoPRA will support the Parish Council and will object.

These current plans are different from the outline planning permission
granted a few years ago.
It seems to be a corridor development with the real danger of later in-fill. This would mean a continuation of buildings between Hellifield and Long Preston. No longer would either be a village.
Is it sustainable? Long Preston has 2 pubs offering B&B, a hotel and several other B&Bs. What is the risk to them? What about the effect on our PO and shop as well as effect on Hellifield’s businesses. Furthermore, if Gallaber proves unsustainable, the next stage is most likely a change of use to housing.
If there are to be stables, where are the bridleways? Why is there a new house there? The house on the ‘road to nowhere’ was originally meant as a manager’s house. It has now been changed to purely residential.

The principle of a tourist development on this land is good, as it will bring jobs. But this development is currently unacceptable in terms of lay-out, design and appearance.

YOU CAN HAVE AN EFFECT.
The more objections that are made,
the more likely Craven DC will require a more appropriate development.

If you agree with LoPRA and the Parish Council, please object to the plans and give grounds for your objection.
- 4 suggestions are above.

Please write to: Head of Planning
                                Craven DC
                                Planning Department
                                Granville Street,
                                 SKIPTON
                                 BD23 1P
Quoting:
Proposals at Gallaber, Long Preston.

Objections had to be received by Craven DC no later than 15^th April.

We are pleased to report that the YDNP Planning Authority has rejected this Planning Application on the grounds that it is outside the development boundary of the village.

TOWN HEAD FARM
DEVELOPMENT at WEST END.
VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT
BOUNDARY UNDER THREAT

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNP) has received a further application for development on the Town Head Farm site.

The application for outline planning permission from Pentmoor Developments is for a new 4 bedroom dwelling. The proposed development is outside the housing development boundary for Long Preston and should strictly be refused on these grounds alone.

In line with LoPRA’s intent to vigorously defend all attempts to break through the development boundary into our green field surrounds, LoPRA have made representations to YDNP seeking to have the application summarily refused.

It should also be noted that the proposal is for commercial gain and is well outside any YDNP prescription for “local occupancy” and/or “affordable” housing. Planning approval remains a fragile process and although one would hope that the proposals will be refused, it is important that individual voices are heard (as with the Gallaber and A65 proposals).

Accordingly you are urged to make your voice heard and resist this attempt to break down the development boundaries of our village
by writing directly to:

       Mr Daniel Child,
          Senior Planning Officer,
          Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority,
          Yorebridge House,
          Bainbridge, Leyburn,
          North Yorkshire,
          DL8 3EE

Or e-mail daniel.child@yorkshiredales.org.uk

quoting Reference C/52/662.

Objections had to be received
by Monday April 11^th

VILLAGE

‘CLEAR UP, CLEAN & TIDY’ DAY

A Village clear up day is being held on Saturday 16^th July and we need volunteers – EVERYONE WELCOME! Free refreshments will be provided for all those who muck in.

If you wish to help please meet at the Village hall at 10am to be allocated an area and relevant equipment.

Long Preston School will be holding a litter awareness week leading up to this date and having a poster competition on the subject.

The school and Parish Council will each be involved with providing litter-collecting equipment and LoPRA volunteers will be providing refreshments on the day. However, as well as your time, donations of [bin bags and gloves] and [cakes or biscuits] are all welcome.

For any enquiries contact heather@lopra.org.uk

A65 Revocation Order

The Highways Agency has issued a Public Notice regarding a draft Revocation Order for the A65 Trunk Road and the Gargrave, Hellifield and Long Preston Bypasses. Objections to this Revocation Order have to be received by 22nd April.

Briefly this means that they propose that the A65 be no longer classified as a Trunk Road.

Responsibility for it would then pass from the Highways Agency to the North Yorkshire County Council. The currently preserved line of the dormant bypass would then no longer be protected and the land could be sold off.

Whilst there is no immediate possibility of a bypass being built, it would seem to be prudent to maintain the line in public ownership. With the ever increasing traffic on the A65 it is probable that some time in the future a bypass will be essential.

Watch the
A65 Working Group Page
for further details

Meeting with Officers of the YDNPA on Wed 9th March

The committee of LoPRA have had a very useful and informative meeting with Mr David Butterworth, the Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and with Mr Peter Watson, the Head of Planning.

A report of this meeting will be presented at the Public Meeting of LoPRA, in the Village Hall on Tuesday the 15th March.

From the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's website.

RESTRICTED OCCUPANCY GOES AHEAD IN THE DALES

Virtually all new homes given planning permission in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales in the future can only be built for local people with a need to live there.

Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s (YDNPA) planning committee have agreed the restrictive occupancy policy as a way of tackling the problem of high house prices that is preventing local people from staying in the area.

It means that virtually all new homes can only be built in the Dales if they meet local housing needs and are sold at below-market prices to local people. They cannot be bought as second homes or as holiday lets.

The policy – part of the Authority’s Yorkshire Dales Local Plan – was backed by Government Planning Inspector William Carlow, who held a public inquiry last summer into objections against the Local Plan.

In January this year the YDNPA planning committee endorsed the housing policy in principle but referred it to a working party to consider the detailed wording in the light of the Local Plan inspector’s recommendations.

After yesterday’s (12 April) decision, following discussion of the working party’s report, YDNPA Strategic Planning Officer Peter Stockton said: “It is an important step forward. It means that all new applications for housing in villages within the Dales will need to be justified on the grounds of local need – and approval will be restricted to local occupancy.

“This means in turn that we can start to target the remaining housing sites at people who need to live and work in the Dales. It’s a way of meeting our duty to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within the National Park.”

Authority chairman Carl Lis said: “I think it’s a big day for the Authority. It will enable us to get to the position we think we should be at in terms of meeting local needs.”
The YDNPA’s radical policy has been brought to the attention of the Scottish Executive’s Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm by Highlands and Islands Scottish MP Maureen Macmillan. She has asked him to investigate the possibility of introducing a similar plan in Scotland, which also suffers problems in keeping rural communities local.

A copy of the Local Plan and the Inspector’s report is available to the public on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s website at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk.

The A65 Working Group
has it's First Meeting

A semi-formal meeting of the A65 Working Group took place on January 13^th 2005.

Present were; Messrs John Rodgers, Ian Evans, Robert Cater, John Goodall and Roy Newhouse. Mr Steven Loughlin did not wish to become a committee member of the A65 Working Group but indicated his willingness to help out with any other practical matters.

It was agreed that John Rodgers chair the meeting, Ian Evans would record the minutes and that the group would meet every three months and submit regular progress reports to the LoPRA committee.

The aims and objectives of the group would be to identify and to lobby the current authority responsible for the upkeep of the A65 Trunk Road (and when de-trunked).

To get urgent repairs done to the road surface throughout Long Preston, in particular on Kayley Hill where the road is subsiding, and to have the grates and kerbs through the village repaired, especially at the junctions of Station Road and Hartley Green.
To achieve long term repairs and resurfacing with “quiet tarmac” to reduce traffic noise throughout the length of the village.
To implement practical methods of reducing traffic noise and vibrations from passing HGV’s to adjoining houses along the A65.
To ask Mr Holsworth to come to Long Preston, meet the Working Group and discuss the problems further.

As a result of this interesting and very positive meeting, a letter was sent from me to Peter Holsworth of the Highways Agency, expressing our concern about the various problems, the repeated floods in our area and the deteriorating condition of the A65. We also enquired as to what steps were being taken to remedy these problems. To date, no reply has been received from Mr Holsworth.

The above concerns were again expressed at a meeting on January 28^th with David Curry MP. He has taken up the issues we raised about the A65 with Mr Mike Moore, the Director of Environmental Services at N.Y.C.C. who are submitting a programme of highway construction and maintenance to the Government for the next five years. Mr Curry has written to us to say that he will be in touch as soon as he has a reply from Mr Moore.

Footnote:
The subsidence at Kayley Hill has today - 7th Feb. been repaired!

Critique of the Long Preston Housing needs Survey

A resident of Long Preston, who has many years experience of market research, has undertaken a detailed analyses of the survey, comparing it's methodology with established guidelines for surveys, and with the guidelines from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for analysing data from housing needs surveys.

Click here to down load a copy of this document in PDF format.

Peter Scott-Smith: January 6th 2005

Survey is to be carried out
on housing needs

A DISTRICT-WIDE housing needs survey to complement those already carried out in villages has received support from local councillors.

Members of Craven District Council's performance and resources committee agreed to find £35,000 to meet the cost of the survey, which will be carried out in early 2005.

In addition, there was £25,000 available from the former LSVT (council housing transfer) reserve and £10,000 has already been allocated to a Skipton Town Survey.

Committee members were told that it was proposed to seek further contributions towards the cost from housing associations.

And the survey results could be made available, at a cost, to interested parties such as developers.

The council last carried out a district-wide housing needs survey in 2001. It is generally regarded as good practice to carry out such surveys every three to four years.

As well as finding out the district's future housing needs, the survey will focus on housing for key workers and hidden homelessness.

These are particular areas of housing need on which the council currently has little or no available information.

Chief executive Gill Dixon said the survey was a "completely different animal" to village surveys using different methodology. It will give us the rigour we need to address affordable housing in the future," she said.

Coun Ken Hart said he welcomed the survey. "We do need this to prove the need for affordable homes," he said.

Craven Herald: Friday Dec 31st 2004

First Quarterly Meeting
13th December, 2004

LoPRA held its first quarterly meeting in the Village Hall in the week before Christmas. Approximately 60 residents attended.

The timing of the meeting was good because the Inspector's report into the Yorkshire Dales Local Plan had been published the week before. As a result, there was a good discussion on a range of issues and a number of views were
put forward.

Your Chairperson asked if she could present these views to the National Park members at their Special Meeting to be held on 19th January. Unfortunately, LoPRA has been advised that this is not possible as individuals are not allowed to address the Committee about policy matters.

LoPRA members were asked to agree the priorities for the Association over the next 3 -6 months. It was decided that work should concentrate on establishing an accurate figure for the number of households requiring affordable housing, issues on the A65 and helping the Parish Council to implement the Village Plan.

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