Author: simon
Controversy Over Cheverton Down Planning Date
Thursday, 19th November, 2009 at 8:52 pm, Isle of Wight
Green Issues, Island-wide, Isle of Wight Council, Opinion Piece, Planning
There’s some concern over the meeting that will decide on the controversial planning application for three wind turbines at Cheverton Down on the Isle of Wight and questions as to how the anti-turbine group ThWART knew about it before the tax-payers of the Island.
Officially – to the public and the press – the date of meeting hasn’t yet been finally set. The 3rd of December is still – officially – being described as a provisional date.
ThWART seem to know
From emails that we’ve seen ThWART state that they know when the event is on … and its location – Carisbrooke High School.
Quite how this information was leaked to ThWART sometime before yesterday afternoon, before it’s been officially released to the public and press, is anyone’s guess.
The ThWART email – sent out at 3pm yesterday – encourages their supporters to “demonstrate the strength of objection to the application by attending the meeting in person.”
Seat booking opens at 8am Friday
It continues, “As numbers are limited at this meeting please telephone Marie Bartlett at the Isle of Wight Council on 01983 823852 or 821000 from: 8am Friday 20th of November, or E-Mail marie.bartlett@iow.gov.uk, to book your seat.”
Having picked up on the actions of ThWART, those on the Island that are pro-turbine are now encouraging people who support wind turbines to contact the same person at the council at 8am tomorrow morning to register.
Looks like it might be a little busy for Ms Bartlett tomorrow morning.
When were the public to know?
Here we are, it’s past 8pm in the evening with less than 12 hours left until it’s thought that registration opens (at 8am say ThWART) for the public to get a seat at the Cheverton Down planning meeting, in a location that looks like it might have limited places.
The IW Council hasn’t officially told the Island or the press when the meeting is … but the information has been leaked (to the staunch objectors, as it turns out) through non-official channels.
We understand that IW Council may be holding back officially confirming the date as letters will be going out to the people who made comment on the last public consultation. It’s probable that those letters won’t arrive before 8am tomorrow, so the recipients won’t have a chance to register at 8am tomorrow.
If lots of people call/email first-thing tomorrow morning, it’s possible that people who would have liked to have gone to the meeting will not be able to get a seat.
This is a highly contentious matter for the Island, so it’s all the more important that things are done cleanly and by the book.
image: Roomic Cube under CC BY 2.0
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Agree. I was surprised to find out about this via a facebook message earlier today and, as you say, no-one who commented will have yet had a letter through from the council informing them of the meeting.
I doubt Carisbrooke High School hall will be big enough. When the Wellow turbine application was discussed in 2006, Medina Theatre was booked.
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Yes I would like to know how THWART got hold of this information before it was made officially public. Thankfully the supporters also have ‘insiders’ so today should be fairly balanced. This is definitely a question that needs to be asked though
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Just (at lunchtime) received my letter from the council. Apparently, only the first five to register to speak will be given a slot (which as ThWART tipped off their members well in advance, could mean we only get to hear from them). And, as you’ve already mentioned, registration is also needed to attend.
I hope that if requests to attend exceed capacity, the council will switch to a larger venue; and that they will bear in mind the potential problem regarding fairness to speakers.
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Perhaps the answer is to ignore speaking requests made before the post arrived today (nearly said ‘first post’ – as if!) on the basis that insider knowledge should not be seen to obtain an advantage.
I liked Rupert Besley’s cartoon today…
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i only received the date today, and only of the time pressure to apply to attend this meeting after the council offices would have closed today, so i hope the meeting place will be switched if nesscessy
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Lets hope the many supporters of these turbines are able to get there and ThWArT, dont hijack it with their backward views.
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Don’t you all go and get blinded by the cheverton Down issue, don’t forget there is a giant offshore wind farm to be built off west wight in a few years time, look at the bigger picture.
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I think that it should be a matter of great concern to those of us who believe in the democratic process that ThWART have an ‘insider’ in the planning department.
ThWART seem to be punching way above their weight and this could well be one of the reasons that they seem to be one step ahead of the rest of us. Let’s hope that the majority views hold sway in he end.
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