After the short notice invitation to the Marino Family Trust exhibition of their development plans, we issued the following press release, and participated in a discussion on BBC Berkshire.
The second exhibition date and location is tomorrow from 2pm to 5:30pm at Henry Street Garden Centre in Arborfield. As Roger Bullworthy says in the interview below the Finchampstead afternoon was consistently busy, and they are there and happy to answer any questions you may have.
Arborfield and Finchampstead residents have slated developers over, what appears to be, a cynical ploy to discourage people from viewing plans for a 1,500 home mini-town proposed on local farm-land.
Arborfield Garrison Resident’s Action Group (AG RAG) says the number of people who have contacted them complaining that they have been given less than 24 hours’ notice to view plans put forward by the Finchampstead based Marino Family Trust for the mini-town, which includes a neighbourhood centre and school, is unprecedented.
A spokeswoman for AG RAG, Gill Purchase, explains.
‘Residents received a brochure with basic information about the proposals for the ‘Hogwood Garden Village’ on Wednesday. It invited residents to view and comment on the plans the following afternoon, with a further exhibition planned for just three and a half hours on Saturday at a further location in the area. It is the first time the plans have been made public and most people were not aware of the exhibition until AG RAG posted details on social media sites.
Ms Purchase says. ‘This highlights the fact there is no intention for any meaningful dialogue between these developers and the public. The MOD and Crest Nicholson showed similar complacency when they organised public meetings just prior to Christmas in 2010, so we are hoping that the next round of consultation they carry out will be arranged to ensure the maximum number of people can attend and voice their views’.
She adds. ‘The whole rushed process is just a cynical move to ensure they (developers) can tick the box for having conducted public consultation when they put the planning application in five days’ time. Any reputable organisation that is serious about getting the opinions of local residents would give adequate notice – weeks not hours – and would not plan to arrange the consultation period when significant numbers of people who would be interested and would like to comment are likely to be on holiday’.
The proposals for the 1,500 mini town are in addition to the 2,000 homes proposal being put forward by the MOD for the Arborfield Garrison.
