Have your say on sites for Travellers and Travelling Show People in South Worcestershire

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Have your say on sites for Travellers and Travelling Show People in South Worcestershire

The South Worcestershire Councils are inviting comments on the provision of sites for Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

Worcester City, Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District Councils have prepared a Development Plan Document which includes information on the accommodation needs of Travellers and Travelling Showpeople across South Worcestershire.

The document includes policies which seek to ensure that future Traveller sites are appropriately located and designed.

The document proposes additional Traveller pitches on two existing Traveller sites at Newlands, Malvern and Charlton, Pershore and two existing sites at Aldington and Evesham are also allocated in case the latest planning permissions lapse.

To help meet the medium to longer term needs of Travellers or Travelling Showpeople, new sites are also proposed on the new and expanded settlements at Worcestershire Parkway, Throckmorton and Rushwick, together with a site on each of the urban extensions at Worcester South and Worcester West.

The six-week public consultation runs from 1 November until Tuesday 13 December 2022 at 11.59pm. The public and other interested parties are being asked to comment on whether they believe the Development Plan Document is sound and legally compliant.

For the Development Plan Document to be considered sound it must show that it will meet the identified need for Traveller sites, is based on robust evidence, is deliverable and is consistent with national planning policies. To be legally compliant, the document must have followed all necessary legal and procedural requirements.

The Development Plan Document has been informed by earlier public consultations held in 2016, 2018 and 2021. This is the last public consultation on the document before it is submitted to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate for independent Examination in 2023.

 

Cllr David Harrison, Chairman of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Joint Advisory Panel, said: “Providing sufficient appropriately located and designed sites for Travellers and Travelling Showpeople is vitally important, so I would urge people to make their voices heard on this essential issue.”

 

While all comments submitted during the consultation will be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration during the next stage of the document, the Government’s Planning Inspector is only likely to consider comments that relate to the soundness and legal compliance of the document.

People can comment by visiting https://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/consultations/south-worcestershire-traveller-and-travelling-showpeople-policy from Tuesday 1 November and downloading and filling in the comment form, by email or by post. Paper copies will also be available from Customer Contact Centres, local libraries and some parish and town council offices.

NOTES

 

The Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD is part of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (SWDPR) process. The SWDPR, jointly prepared by the three South Worcestershire Councils – Malvern Hills, Worcester City and Wychavon – covers the period to 2041. The SWDPR addresses overall housing and employment requirements and includes detailed policies to determine planning applications.

The three South Worcestershire Councils have a responsibility to plan for the housing needs of all residents, including the Traveller and Travelling Showpeople community under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

The Government’s national Planning Policy for Traveller Sites requires the South Worcestershire Councils to identify a supply of deliverable Traveller sites to provide 5 years’ worth of sites against locally set targets, and sufficient developable sites for up to 15 years.

The South Worcestershire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA, 2019) identified a need for 104 Traveller pitches in the period to 2041. Between March 2019 and August 2022, 49 Traveller pitches were granted planning permission across South Worcestershire, leaving an outstanding requirement for 55 pitches in the period to 2041. Additionally, the GTAA identified a need for 10 Travelling Showpeople plots in the period to 2041. 2 Showpeople plots have been granted planning consent since March 2019.

The Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD makes provision for up to 56 Traveller pitches (4 at Newlands, 2 at Charlton, 20 at Worcestershire Parkway, 10 at Throckmorton, up to 10 at Worcester South and up to 10 at Worcester West) and 10 Travelling Showpeople plots at Rushwick.

As part of the development of the Development Plan Document, the South Worcestershire Councils undertook three “calls for sites” – in 2015, 2016 and 2020 – to provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations to suggest sites that they considered might be suitable for allocation as a Traveller or Travelling Showpeople site. 46 sites were submitted for consideration, but not all were considered suitable.

In addition to proposing specific site allocations to meet the identified needs of Travellers and Travelling Showpeople, the Development Plan Document also includes draft policies to ensure that development proposals for Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites are appropriately located and designed.

After the public consultation all responses will be reviewed and submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. An independent Inspector will then be appointed to carry out the Examination stage of the process. This involves scrutinising the Development Plan Document to make sure that it is sound and legal. A series of public hearings may also be held where people will have the chance to make representations.

After the Examination stage is complete, the Planning Inspector may decide to ask for changes to be made to the Development Plan Document. Once this is completed the Development Plan Document can be formally adopted by each of the South Worcestershire Councils. This is expected to take place in late 2023.

Full details of the Plan are available at https://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/consultations/south-worcestershire-traveller-and-travelling-showpeople-policy

Glossary

For the purposes of planning policy ‘Travellers’ means Persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family’s or dependants’ educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excluding members of an organised group of Travelling Showpeople or circus people travelling together as such.

For the purposes of planning policy, ‘Travelling Showpeople’ means Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their own or their family’s or dependents’ more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excludes Travellers as defined above.

For the purposes of planning policy, ‘pitch’ means a pitch on a ‘gypsy and Traveller’ site and ‘plot’ means a pitch on a ‘Travelling Showpeople’ site (often called a ‘yard’). This terminology differentiates between residential pitches for ‘gypsies and travellers’ and mixed-use plots for ‘Travelling Showpeople’, which may need to incorporate space to allow for the storage of equipment.

Consultation starts on SWDP Review

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Consultation starts on SWDP Review
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SWDPR Notification Reg 19 covering letter

A six-week public consultation has started on a key planning document that will shape the future development of South Worcestershire.

The revised South Worcestershire Development plan allocates land for 13,240 additional new homes and 290.7 hectares of employment land to be delivered by 2041. This will help meet the Government requirement to allocate land to build 26,360 new homes and 350.5 hectares of employment land across South Worcestershire from 2021 to 2041. Not all sites in the Plan are new, with some being carried over from the last version of the SWDP and sites that already have planning permission being taken into account.

The majority of the new housing will be met through strategic growth sites at Worcestershire Parkway, Throckmorton, Rushwick and Mitton.

The public are being asked to comment on whether they consider the review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan is sound and legally compliant. To be considered sound the Plan must have been positively prepared, based on robust, credible evidence, show a clear deliverable vision and be consistent with national planning policies.

On top of this the three South Worcestershire Councils – Worcester City, Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District Councils – must also show they have complied with planning legislation including the legal duty to help neighbouring councils meet their strategic housing needs.

Comments can be made from Tuesday 1 November until 11.59pm on Tuesday 13 December 2022. Only comments made during the consultation can be considered.

People can comment by filling in the online comment form available on our website at www.swdevelopmentplan.org/review.  Paper copies are also available from Customer Contact Centres, local libraries and some parish and town council offices.

A series of public information events are being held to help describe the proposed growth at each of the strategic sites and give people the chance to ask questions.

These will be held on the following dates:

  • Rushwick expanded settlement – Thursday 3 November 1200-2000 at Rushwick Village Hall, Bransford Road, Rushwick, WR2 5TA
  • Worcestershire Parkway new settlement – Wednesday 9 November 1200-2000 at Norton Parish Hall, Wadborough Road, Littleworth, WR5 2QB
  • Mitton – Friday 11 November 1300-2000 at Bredon Village Hall, Main Road, Bredon, GL20 7QN
  • Throckmorton new settlement – Monday 14 November 1300-2000 at Bishampton Village Hall, Broad Lane, Bishampton, WR10 2LU

After the consultation all comments will be passed on to the Planning Inspectorate. The Plan will then go for Examination where it will be scrutinised in detail to make sure it is sound and legal. A series of public hearings may also be held where people will have the chance to make representations and ask questions providing that they have responded to this consultation.

It is expected the plan will be formally adopted by the South Worcestershire Councils in late 2023.

 

Cllr David Harrison, Chairman of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Joint Advisory Panel, said: “At this stage we are seeking views on whether people feel the Plan meets the test of soundness and is legally compliant. We cannot make changes to the Plan at this time; however, all comments will be passed to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration. There is a lot of information available through the SWDP website and in local libraries to help people understand what is being proposed and how to comment. I urge people to get involved with the consultation and to make their views known.”

NOTES

The current South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) covers the period 2006 to 2030 and is based on extensive evidence and previous consultations. It has been jointly prepared by the three partner councils – Malvern Hills, Worcester City and Wychavon.

The Review will extend the period the plan covers from 2030 up to 2041.

The SWDP Review includes policies for dealing with four broad areas:

  • Creating jobs and economic prosperity
  • Meeting housing needs
  • Transportation
  • The environment.

Most of the new housing will be provided through new settlements, known as strategic sites. These will be located close to existing or new railway links. Clear layout (concept) plans have been prepared for each area. Providing new greenspaces will also be a key part of the Plan. A range of house types will be provided to meet the future requirements of our area’s population. Consideration has been given for people of different age groups and with health needs.

Development will be completed in phases over time and developers will be asked for payments known as “developer contributions” to support, and where necessary, deliver local infrastructure.

The strategic sites are as follows:

 

  • Worcestershire Parkway – Up to 2041, 5,000 new homes will be built at this location with up to 40% affordable housing and 50 hectares of employment land to build a new settlement based on garden community principles. Another 5,000 homes are planned after 2041. The settlement will be carbon neutral with renewable energy providing the development’s energy needs. The focus will be on making sure residents’ needs are met near to where they live including a new town centre, schools, local neighbourhood centres and community facilities. Together with investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, it will promote sustainability and reduce dependency on the car.
  • Throckmorton – A carbon neutral settlement of 2,000 homes with 40% affordable housing and 20 hectares of employment land will be created by 2041. In the second phase after 2041, another 3,000 new homes are planned, as well as 40 hectares of employment land. Again, the focus will be on delivering sustainability with a town centre, schools and community facilities forming part of the proposals. New infrastructure will include direct walking and cycling links to Pershore Railway Station to reduce the need to travel by car.
  • Rushwick – 1,000 new homes are planned as well as 5 hectares of employment land, a new railway station, primary school, retail and other supporting services including a new or improved village hall, community park, allotments and orchards. Up to 40% of the housing will be affordable and no development will be allowed before land necessary to enable the railway station to be built and other critical infrastructure has been secured.
  • Mitton – Land near Mitton close to Bredon and next to Tewkesbury town, has also been identified to provide 1,000 new homes, 500 of which will be to meet neighbouring Tewkesbury Borough Council’s housing need. This agreement is part of the legal Duty to Cooperate which requires councils to support each other’s strategic planning needs. A new primary school, community facilities and walking and cycling links are included in the proposal.

 

Smaller sites have also been identified for new housing in each area during the plan period. In Worcester City 866 new homes are planned, 594 in Malvern, 10 in Tenbury and 376 in rural villages across the Malvern Hills District. In Wychavon 916 new homes have been allocated to Droitwich Spa, 255 in Evesham, 212 in Pershore and 1,069 in rural villages across the district.

As well as housing, the new Plan provides 290.7 hectares of new employment land to support business growth, renewed protections to prevent development on the Green Belt and around 179 hectares of new recreational open green space for people to enjoy.

 

There are also new and enhanced policies supporting each councils’ efforts to protect the environment and tackle climate change. Measures within these policies include:

  • Developments must be designed to minimise car use
  • Developers must provide the infrastructure for charging electric vehicles in each new home
  • Sustainable materials and construction techniques must be used
  • At least 20% of predicted energy use by a development must come from renewable or low carbon energy sources
  • Sites for new solar farms have been identified
  • Sites for Informal Areas of Recreation (AIRs) have been identified
  • Developments must provide measurable net gains in biodiversity
  • Polices to protect valued landscapes and landscape character
  • Policies to manage and mitigate against flood risk
  • Policies to make the most effective use of land

 

Full details of the Plan are available at http://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/review

Hill & Moor PC to hold a Parish Open-Forum on the plan to build a new town on the old Throckmorton airfield on Thursday 3rd November 2022 at Lower Moor Village Hall from 7pm to 7.30pm

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Hill & Moor PC to hold a Parish Open-Forum on the plan to build a new town on the old Throckmorton airfield on Thursday 3rd November 2022 at Lower Moor Village Hall from 7pm to 7.30pm immediately before Hill and Moor Parish Council meeting which will commence at 7.30pm.

OVERVIEW.

The plan to build a new town on the old Throckmorton airfield.

  • The first stage is 2000 new houses at Throckmorton staring in 8 years’ time.
  • The second stage, which will come later, will be to increase that to 5000 houses.
  • It means there will be a new town, along with associated industry, that is at least the size of Pershore, around 1 – 2 miles away from Lower Moor.
  • This new town is expected to use the existing road and rail infrastructure

WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE SWDP PROPOSE?

• The SWDP envisages that the “further growth post 2041” will be a further 3,000 houses.

• The new town will be accessed via the A44 but not onto the existing roundabouts but by creating a T junction 50m away from an existing roundabout

• The proposal assumes that improved bus, cycle and pedestrian routes will connect the Throckmorton development to Pershore railway station.

• There is an assumption that the proximity between the development and Pershore station will mean personal car use will not hugely increase.

• The proposal accepts that there are some problems with the airfield site itself, being a “brownfield” site which has been used variously for military purposes and as a foot-and-mouth burial site.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT AND WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

The Hill and Moor Parish Council, along with a number of nearby Parishes, are attempting to stop this. We want to preserve our beautiful countryside, keep our roads and rail system from being stretched to breaking point, and prevent a large influx of people coming to an area which simply cannot support them.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

  • For anyone who is prepared to, you can:
  • write a response to the consultation;
  • send a pre-prepared letter in response to the consultation.
  • The more that we can show local people are against SWDP, the stronger our hand will be. Going forward, we plan to hold additional meetings to help direct people in the most effective ways.
  • There is a 6-week opportunity for you to comment. The consultation dates are: 1/11/22 to 13/12/22.

Comments can be submitted via email: contact@swdevelopmentplan.org or post The Civic Centre, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT.

 

 

West Mercia Police – Economic Crime Unit – 19/10/2022 News Update

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                                            INVESTMENT FRAUD

Warning on ‘get rich quick’ schemes as investment fraud soars among young professionals on social media

‘Get rich quick’ investment opportunities are soaring amongst young professionals, with more than £890 million lost to investment fraud last year.

Criminals are evolving the way that they target people with bogus investment opportunities, with many victims now being targeted on social media.

The total amount lost to investment fraud in the 2021/22 financial year rose by a staggering 49.5 per cent on the previous period (£890,916,169 up from £596,053,731). New data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) also shows there were 26,170 reports of investment fraud to Action Fraud in the same period, meaning victims lost an average of £34,043.41 each.

How to spot the signs and protect yourself

·         Before deciding to invest, always do your research and do not let anyone rush you. Only criminals will put pressure on you to make a quick decision. Stop, take time to think and consult trusted friends and family members before parting with your money.

·         Be cautious if you are asked to change money into cryptocurrency to invest or make a payment via cryptocurrency. This is often a tactic used by fraudsters.

·         Be aware that some investment opportunity approaches can come via social media. Always undertake additional research to check the validity of such an opportunity.

·         Fraudsters have been known to hack social media accounts to promote bogus investments. If you are making an investment based on a recommendation from a friend or family member sent via social media, check that this has actually been sent by them.

·         Scammers will often create professional looking websites and utilise fake business premise locations to give an impression of legitimacy.

·  Never let anyone take control of your phone or computer for any reason.  A reputable business would never do this.

·  Check on the FCA website to see if an investment business is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

 

ENERGY BILL SCAMS

 A recent report from a potential victim of an Energy Bill Scam went as follows:

A call was received claiming to be from the person’s Energy Company and asking for a meter reading, serial number, bank details and other personal details. Fortunately the person did not have the information to hand and rang back the Energy Company on the listed number, so in this case no money was lost.

Never provide financial or personal details over the phone unless you are 100% sure the caller is genuine, always use the listed telephone number on the invoice.

ROMANCE FRAUDS

 There has been a recent spike in Romance Fraud reports centred on the Worcester area, where victims have lost money to Scammers.

Please remember never to give out money, gift cards or any other form of payment to someone you may have met on the internet but never met in person, however convincing their request may be.

CLARIFICATION

Premium Rate Telephone Number Scam

 This Scam, which we highlighted 2 weeks ago, applies equally to calls to DVLA where victims have inadvertently called a third party premium number displayed on the Internet and ended up paying unsolicited call charges and fees.

So, when looking for Government Department contact details, always use the official Government Services Website – GOV.UK

Take Five To Stop Fraud

·  Stop: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.

·  Challenge: Could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

·  Protect: If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

 For further information visit:

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

 

 

 

Wychavon Residents’ Survey

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What do you think of the place where you live?

How do you rate Wychavon’s services?

What do you think should be our priorities for the next 12 months?

The annual Wychavon Residents’ Survey is now open and we want to hear what you have to say. The survey will only take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and feedback will be used by councillors to influence the projects we focus our time and money on over the next 12 months.

More than 1,000 people took part in last year’s survey with 81% of people saying they were satisfied with their local area as a place to live and 63% happy with how Wychavon ran things.

In response to feedback from previous surveys Wychavon has:

  • created a £150,000 fund to support communities to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic
  • launched ambitious investment prospectuses for the future of Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Pershore town centres
  • Set-up the popular Wychavon Adopt a Street campaign, funded free anti-litter education sessions in schools and installed more than 50 new bins, in response to concerns about litter
  • put a renewed focus on further improving the level of customer service we provide

So what you tell us really does make a difference. 

 The survey closes on Sunday, 23 October 2022

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/WRS2022/

Notice of Casual Vacancy for Hill and Moor for Parish Councillor.

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The Post Office in Lower Moor Village Hall will not be open tomorrow, Tuesday 13th September 2022

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The Post Office in Lower Moor Village Hall will not be open tomorrow Tuesday 13th September 2022.

It will be open again as usual on Thursday 15th September 2022.

New King is proclaimed in Wychavon

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New King is proclaimed in Wychavon

Dignitaries and the public gathered outside the Civic Centre in Pershore on Sunday (11 September) to hear King Charles III officially proclaimed King in Wychavon.

 

Nicholas Wentworth Stanley, Deputy Lieutenant representing the Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire, His Majesty’s representative in the county, opened proceedings.

 

He told the crowd: “We come together this afternoon following the death of our late Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth the Second. Our sadness at this time is shared by people across the globe, as we remember with affection and gratitude the lifetime of service given by our longest-reigning Monarch.

“But the basis on which our monarchy is built has ensured that through the centuries the Crown has passed in an unbroken line of succession. Today’s ceremony marks the formal Proclamation to the people of the County of Worcestershire of the beginning of our new King’s reign.”

Before reading the proclamation Cllr Alex Sinton, Chairman of Wychavon District Council, told those present: “In an age where modern methods of communication convey news around the globe in an instant, the proclamation is no longer the means by which people learn for the first time that they have a new Monarch.

“Today, however, is one of the first occasions when communities have an opportunity to come together and reflect on the moment in our nation’s history when the reign of our longest-serving Monarch came to an end and our new Sovereign succeeded.”

The proclamation was then read out before cheers of God Save The King.

Ali Duggan then led the crowd in singing the first verse of the national anthem before three cheers were given for His Majesty The King to end the event.

The Union Flag outside the Civic Centre was raised during the proclamation period and has now returned to half-mast where it will stay until after HM The Queen’s funeral.

Books of condolence are available to sign across Wychavon and will remain open until after Her Majesty’s funeral. Visit www.wychavon.gov.uk to find out more about how to pay tribute to HM The Queen in Wychavon.

Information regarding a book on condolence following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

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There is now a book of condolence at Lower Moor Church for anyone to sign following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II .