Peak District National Park Authority Public Meeting - Bakewell

Date: 14 June 2004
Venue: Medway Centre
Attendance: approximately 30 people

Issues raised by members of the public:

What proportion of planning applications approved are for affordable housing?

The planning process is a barrier to more affordable housing.

Are we able to impose quotas for affordable housing on new developments and conversions?

We should find ways to limit the number of holiday cottages.

Tony Hams:

Affordable housing is a national issue.

We can only deal with applications before us. We can't build homes and can't force developers to build affordable housing. We have just published affordable housing Supplementary Planning Guidance.

Just because we pass a planning application for affordable housing, it doesn't mean it will get built.

Introduced concept of 'more affordable' housing.

Around a third of all new dwellings over past 10 years have been affordable.

We can't introduce quotas and must follow national guidelines and legislation.

We have refused applications for new housing developments that don't include enough affordable housing e.g. Eyam.
Local authorities are reducing Council Tax relief on second / holiday homes.

Off road vehicles are a menace - a danger and churn up rights of way.

John Thompson, Director of Recreation and Education:

We work closely with the Highways Authority and police and regulation powers to control have been used in some areas. But, not an easy issue to resolve. Please report any problems to the access and recreation service.

General concern about delegating planning applications to officers. Want them to be decided by members - in particular parish members.

Why don't we provide a neighbourhood notification service?

Jim Dixon:

Any member can request any application goes before committee.

If significant objections are registered the application has to go before the committee.

Three years ago we were dealing with 600 applications a year. This is now 1,400. We can't just treble the number of planning staff so we must be efficient in the use of resources and this includes responsible delegation.

Tony Hams:

There are a number of planning improvements in the pipeline and we are working towards neighbourhood notification.

PDNPA should do more to press the Government to revoke mineral permissions.

Tourism may be a big part of the local economy (referring to Jim Dixon's introductory presentation), but the jobs tend to be low paid. We need 'proper' jobs for local young people.

Jim Dixon:

A number of highly skilled and well paid tourism jobs are being created e.g. Derby University runs hospitality courses; Chatsworth Farm Shop.

PDNPA doesn't do enough with young people. We should go into schools and work with classes e.g. geography, history and citizenship, or set the class an exercise of running the Park for a week. We shouldn't just organise school visits to Losehill Hall.

Tony Hams:

We would like to do more with schools.

Alun Michael is keen to encourage younger people to become National Park Authority Members.

John Herbert, Parish Council Member:

We need to encourage young people to enjoy the Park and in particular the wonderful sport and recreation activities and opportunities.

We are too concerned with preserving the Park is aspic. Need to look to the future.

Tony Hams:

We aim to keep the best and make changes for the better, so that future generations have the chance to continue to enjoy its beauty. Design can be different, modern and even radical ? as long as it is high quality.

PDNPA should promote events and activities.

Tony Hams:

We produce a useful quarterly 'what's on' guide and annual paper.

Jim Dixon:

We are looking to review our publications and are providing more targeted communications e.g. parish council newsletter.

Please note that the comments raised by members of the public attending the meetings are not necessarily the views of the Peak District National Park Authority. All comments will be fed into the consultation process.