Land North of Hare Street Road, Buntingford, Hertfordshire

Transcription

1 Land North of Hare Street Road, Buntingford, Hertfordshire Statement of Evidence by Cllr Graham Waite, for Buntingford Town Council opposing the Cemetery as proposed by Taylor Wimpey / DLP in their Planning Applications 3/13/1183/OP and 3/13/1000/FP 1. Introduction 1.1 This Proof of Evidence document has been prepared by Cllr Graham Waite for and on behalf of Buntingford Town Council. 1.2 The document will set out the evidence against the Cemetery proposed by the appellants, Taylor Wimpey / DLP and highlight the work that has been on-going for many years, by the Town Council, to ensure that the amount of burial space available to the Town and surrounding villages is future proof. 1.3 My evidence covers the following areas:- a. The need for additional burial space b. Where it should be located c. The progress to date in identifying and acquiring suitable land d. The future plan for the Cemetery Extension 2. Introduction to Evidence 2.1 My name is Graham Waite and I have been a resident of Buntingford since 1971, I am semi-retired and have been a Town Councillor since May It is true that the future needs of Buntingford is for more burial space as identified in the Taylor Wimpey / DLP Statement of Community Involvement, however it would appear that no thought has been given by Taylor Wimpey / DLP as to where the cemetery should be located. 2.3 The wish of the townspeople is that this additional burial space should be located adjacent to the existing cemetery some 100 metres to the north - east of that proposed by Taylor Wimpey / DLP in their Statement of Community Involvement and subsequent planning applications. 2.4 The proposal by Taylor Wimpey to build a cemetery adjacent to their development site would mean the loss of protected trees and some Common Land along the south side of The Causeway (Appendix 13). This loss would be caused by the proposed access to the cemetery. The Town Council have and will continue to oppose this proposal. 1

2 3. Location 3.1 The preferred location for the extension to the existing cemetery, is as stated in the document A CONSIDERATION OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN BUNTINGFORD TO THE YEAR 2031 page 16, paragraph 8.11.(Appendix 1). The reasons for this preferred location is highlighted in a letter from the Vicar of Buntingford, Aspenden and Westmill, Rev. Ian Hill in which he states I would therefore like to strongly suggest that the proposal put forward by the Town Council for the new cemetery to adjoin the existing churchyard at Layston would, from a pastoral perspective, make a massive difference to the people of the town (Appendix 10). 4. Historical Information For some 10 years, since 2003, the Town Council has been liaising with the owners of the Glebe Land to the west of the existing cemetery/s, St Albans Diocese. The land identified for the extension to the cemetery/s is indicated on the attached plan (Appendix 2). The Town Council have received a recent communication from the St Albans Diocese agent, Bidwells, offering a purchase price for the 2.5 acre extension plot. (Appendix 3) 5. Present Day Scenario 5.1 Since joining the Town Council, in May 2013, I have been part of a working party that includes the Rev. Ian Hill, Vicar of Buntingford, Aspenden and Westmill, and fellow Town Councillors, to investigate more thoroughly the provision of an extension to the existing cemetery. 5.2 We have been actively pursuing the purchase of the land and its change of use from farmland and the development of a cemetery. 5.3 To this end the Town Council have now also commissioned a cemetery development company to carry out a suitability assessment and survey to satisfy the requirements of the Environment Agency (Appendix 4) prior to applying to East Herts DC for Planning permission. This survey will take the form of EA T2 GP3 Groundwater Audit (Appendix 4, Table 3.2, Page 11), Groundwater Assessments, to gain Environmental Agency approval for the creation of the cemetery extension at the preferred site. 5.4 It is expected that the survey will be satisfactory. This expectation is based on the fact that the Taylor Wimpey / DLP Cemetery proposal is 100 meters south west of the Town Councils preferred site and will be subject to the same ground conditions as per the report provided by Cemetery Development Services Ltd to Taylor Wimpey / DLP and included in their planning application 3/13/1000/FP. (Appendix 15) 2

3 5.5 When it is confirmed that the site is suitable, the Town Council will then move to a design and planning phase which will be presented to East Herts DC, Planning, submitted as a planning application, for approval. 6. The Town Council Stance 6.1 At a Full Town Council meeting held on 16 th July 2013, the Town Council formally resolved that it does not wish to be provided with a cemetery as proposed within the application. The Council has identified a more suitable piece of land adjacent to the existing cemetery and is actively pursuing the acquisition of this land. (Appendix 5) 6.2 The Town Council have also sent letters of opposition to the latest applications 3/13/1000/FP (Appendix 6) and 3/13/1183/OP (Appendix 7). 6.3 At the Full Council meeting held on Thursday 31 st October 2013 finance received approval for the Tier 2 survey to be carried out by CDS Ltd (Appendix 8) and on Wednesday 6 th November 2013 an official order was raised on CDS to carry out the works. (Appendix 9) 7. Local opposition to Taylor Wimpey proposal 7.1 Following consultation with the local Funeral Directors, Austins, and the Rev. Ian Hill, Vicar of Buntingford, Aspenden and Westmill, it is confirmed that they fully support the Town Councils opposition to the Taylor Wimpey / DLP proposal and concur with the Town Councils actions to create an extension to the existing cemetery. (Appendices 10 & 11). 7.2 In a letter from the Rev. Ian Hill, he states the proposal put forward by the Town Council for the new cemetery to adjoin the existing churchyard at Layston would, from a pastoral perspective, make a massive difference to the people of the town. It would give continuity (the existing churchyard being an extension of the old anyway), and that sense of timelessness that people desire. Any alternative location, whilst better than nothing, would be a very poor second best (Appendix 10). 7.3 The Town Councils preferred location for the cemetery extension would continue the historic use of this part of the Town, adjacent to St Bartholomews Church, Layston, as records show that the cemetery/s have been in continuous use since the earliest recorded burial in 1564 (Appendix 14). Recent carbon dating indicates that the earliest burial in this part of the town was in the 11 th century. 8. What next? 3

4 8.1 When the Town Council has received the report from CDS Ltd, if satisfactory, we will then move to the next phase which will be to commission a cemetery development company to work with us on the design, layout and operation of the cemetery extension. 8.2 It is expected that this phase will commence this year, in order that we can submit an application to East Herts District Council, within 3 to 4 months. 8.3 If planning approval is received we will then place an order for the preferred design with the selected company. 8.4 Funding for the Cemetery extension will come from various Charitable Organisations within the Town and will also be partly funded by any New Homes Bonuses received by the Town Council. 8.5 The management of the Cemetery will be decided as part of the Design and Build process but it is envisaged that it will take the form of a Trust so that monies will be ringfenced and only be available for the cemetery extension management. 9. Supporting Documentation 9.1 Appendix 1 - A section from the document, A CONSIDERATION OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN BUNTINGFORD TO THE YEAR 2031 page 16, paragraph Appendix 2 Map showing location of extension to existing Cemetery as proposed and being actively progressed by Buntingford Town Council. 9.3 Appendix 3 Letter from Bidwells, agents for St Albans Diocese, indicating the willingness of the Diocese to sell the 2.5 acre plot to the Town Council. 9.4 Appendix 4 Quotation from Cemetery Development Services Ltd (CDS) for Tier 2 survey to determine suitability of land. 9.5 Appendix 5 Minutes of Full Town Council Meeting held 16th July 2013 with resolution rejecting the Taylor Wimpey / DLP Cemetery proposal. 9.6 Appendix 6 Letter from Buntingford Town Council to East Herts District Council, Planning, opposing the Taylor Wimpey / DLP application 3/13/1000/FP and identifying that there is no need for their proposal for a Cemetery to be located adjacent to their proposed development site. 9.7 Appendix 7 Letter from Buntingford Town Council to East Herts District Council, Planning, opposing the Taylor Wimpey / DLP application 3/13/1183/OP, and identifying that there is no need for their proposal for Cemetery to be located adjacent to their proposed development site. 4

5 9.8 Appendix 8 Minutes of Full Town Council Meeting 31 st October 2013 approving expenditure for Tier 2 survey by Cemetery Development Services (CDS) to satisfy Environment Agency legislation. 9.9 Appendix 9 Official order to CDS from Buntingford Town Council to proceed with the site survey Appendix 10 Communication from Reverend Ian Hill in support of the proposed location of the Cemetery Extension proposed by Buntingford Town Council, 9.11 Appendix 11 Communication from Claire Austin, Managing Director of Austins Funeral Directors, in support of the proposed location of the Cemetery Extension proposed by Buntingford Town Council Appendix 12 from Andrew Wilcock, DVS Property Services re: negotiation for purchase of Glebe Land 9.13 Appendix 13 Map showing the common land situated on the south side of The Causeway, Buntingford 9.14 Appendix 14 Burial Record for 1564 Source Hertfordshire County Records Office Statement of Evidence prepared by Cllr Graham Waite 8 th November