News Bulletin – 7th November 2013

We thought we would give residents an update on the situation regarding Planning Application 12/P/10973.

As you know after the Full Council Meeting on 24th September, the Planning Officer at Guildford Borough Council was served with an Interim Holding Direction by the office of the Secretary of State. This Holding Direction means that the Council cannot formally approve the Council vote on 24th September, and it has been put on hold. The Council’s decision will now be reviewed by the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, Eric Pickles MP., who will assess whether it needs to be Called-In.

We still haven’t heard anything from the Secretary of State’s office, and there is no indication of how long it will be before a decision is made.

However, as we advised before, it is possible for residents to write to our MP, Michael Gove, asking him to lobby on our behalf to get this planning application called-in and to a public inquiry. Mr. Gove has promised to send every letter/e-mail he receives from residents to Eric Pickles, even at this late stage. So if you haven’t written yet, please do it now.

How to do it. (There are there possibilities).

1. You can write a letter to:

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

2. You can use this link: http://www.writetothem.com/. Just input your postcode, click on Michael Gove’s name, and you can write your message.

3. You can e-mail: frances.reynolds@parliament.uk for the attention of Michael Gove. This lady is Michael Gove's researcher and if you mark it for his attention she will pass it on.

What to say

Of course you can say what you feel but if you are writing to support the call-in please include something similar to:

I support the request by Ash Residents Association (ASHRA) to the Secretary Of State to call-in Guildford Borough Council Planning Application 12/P/01973 for his own determination.

Graham