Planners’ priorities ‘are all wrong’

As I have said before, if there is no Local Plan, developers will build whatever they wish, wherever they wish. If they are refused, they will appeal, and the appeal will be upheld. We need an up-to-date Local Plan in place.

Over three years without a Local Plan, and still no sign of one. There is the excuse offered that the position has changed on land availability.

However, new land comes on the market; land is taken off the market; and new planning applications arrive daily. The plan should be based on a snapshot at a particular time. This excuse is cynical nonsense, meant for children. It is a delaying tactic, pure and simple.

This failure to focus on the most important issue in planning goes right to the top of Craven District Council.

When training, we were told by the MD of Ford UK, who should know something of management, that authority could be delegated, but responsibility could not.

I hope that people will raise this issue with candidates for election to Craven District Council. Somebody needs to be held to account for this failure.

David Walsh Western Road Skipton Site ‘dates and facts’ Sir - Further to Barry Rawson’s letter last week about the encroachment and damage to trees in Aireville Park by Lovell, I am writing to set out some dates and facts.

I first informed Craven District Council (CDC) planning enforcement and tree officers on October 26, 2014, that Lovell were building too close to trees in the park, over the roots of trees in fact – one effect of which would be that either the trees would have to come down, or that Lovell would have to take down their building. Lovell also seemed to be building out onto the council’s land in our park, so that there was an issue of encroachment onto adjoining owner’s CDC’s land.

CDC proposed a resolution favourable to Lovell – to leave the building in place, but for Lovell to cut down the trees, trim the undergrowth, and to pay for two replacement trees in the park. CDC were silent on the tricky issue of encroachment on publicly owned land.

It still took Lovell over three months to put in a planning application for the work in the park, dated February 19, 2015. In it, they did propose two replacement trees.

The planning application was approved under delegated powers on April 2, 2015. It was not reported on the agenda of planning committee which met on April 13, 2015. The approval text published on the website on April 3, 2015, does not require even one single replacement tree. So Lovell appear to have got exactly what they want, with no penalty, and to a timescale that suits them.

I wrote to CDC on April 3, 2015, requesting confirmation and explanation of this decision not to require any replacement trees. I wrote again on April 16, 2015. CDC have yet to respond formally to my questions.

This comes three weeks after CDC have informed residents that it is not ‘expedient’ for them to take legal action against Lovell over the prolonged (22 months) history of planning condition breaches by heavy vehicle, site traffic, parking, traffic and environmental nuisance in the Granville Street, Brook Street, and Hall Croft area of town.

Why is CDC so lenient on Lovell? Why have they not acted to protect us, the public? Why do they not act towards Lovell as any other local authority would act towards any developer who repeatedly behaved this badly?

Michael Devenish Granville Street Skipton ‘No rural protection’ Sir - I note that the Broughton Hall estate now wishes to add an off-road driving facility to its plethora of offerings.

Although a shame it is not surprising given that large landowners, whether landlords in the city, owners of shooting estates or ‘farmers’ (who receive large subsidies from the public purse), always seek to maximize profits.

At the same time, rather like the Tories who claimed they would be a green government (talk about dodgy pledges!), large estates like to pretend that they are the traditional, time-honoured stewards of the countryside, holding back the barbarians.

In this instance Broughton Hall is now promoting a playground for petrol-guzzling and polluting SUVs. This new touristic ‘experience’, aimed at the Yahoo-culture of the tank-driving class and wannabes, is the very antithesis of protecting the tranquillity and historic nature of the countryside. What’s next? Fracking?

Bruce McLeod Otterburn Sadness on walk Sir - Several friends and I undertook the walk from Scar House Reservoir as suggested in the paper last week.

In the main the walk was very enjoyable, but we were saddened by the situation from the side of Great Whernside to Little Whernside.

In the first (estimated) mile and a half a very nice new post and wire boundary fence has been erected. The old posts and wiring (some barbed) had been simply thrown to one side and across the path. There was also bits of new wiring and a whole roll of top wiring plus two old quad tyres.

This rubbish is a hazard to sheep and walkers and certainly a blot on the landscape.

If vehicles were used to run the new materials to the site, why were the same vehicles not used to remove the old fence, etc?

Mike Clarke Conistone Brilliant dance work Sir - I just had to write since I went to see Phoenix Dance at Christ Church, Skipton, and was delighted to see such brilliant work in Skipton.

It is fabulous to see a great programme from this company here on our doorsteps. The space obviously has its difficulties and admittedly sight lines were tricky - that’s often the nature of a church with seats on a flat floor rather than proper raked auditorium.

However, since we don’t have a state-of-the-art theatre in Skipton - yet - I’m impressed that the importance of such work is recognised and that such work can be seen in Craven.

Many local people can’t travel to Leeds, York, Bradford, Manchester, and surely it’s better that they can see shows such as this here, even in tricky spaces, than not at all.

I saw Phoenix Dance many years ago performing at Aireville School when they were just beginning and I was still at primary school. It is fabulous to see this now world class dance company again in Skipton.

All power to the organiser’s elbow.

Kate Beard Litton Does culture matter?

Sir - The final indignity, the closure of the splendid Manor House Museum in Ilkley. Given to the people of the town. Closed by Bradford Council.

Extremists are destroying remains, the monuments of human civilisation, in the Middle East. Here, in the name of austerity, we are closing our own history.

Libraries are closing, museums closing or under threat. The barbarians are at the door.

Billions can be found to build obsolete aircraft carriers – without planes!

Perhaps our politicians can explain their actions. Or does not culture matter in our materialist world?

Brian Ormondroyd Birchwood Court Ilkley Better stroke treatment Sir - Thank you for your article raising the important issue of how best to deal with a stroke. (Stroke victims could face journey for care, Craven Herald, April 16).

It has been demonstrated that the system whereby stroke patients are taken by ambulance to a central hyperacute stroke unit (HASU) is far superior to the old system of going to A&E at a local hospital.

The HASU is staffed 24/7 by senior and experienced staff, some of whom will be consultants at local hospitals who will work at the HASU for one week every three months for example.

During that week the role of the local hospital stroke consultant is typically covered by a registrar from the HASU. With a stroke, speed and skill are of the essence. Provided patients who have suffered an ischaemic stroke caused by a clot receive clot-busting drugs within four to five hours of the stroke, they can recover.

I am a lay member of a review of stroke services across the country, which initially set out to compare stroke care in London with other cities which originally had chosen not to follow the HASU model developed by Lord Darzi.

Now these cities have also chosen the HASU model which can be summarised as follows: “In developing a strategy for improving stroke services in London, the stroke project identified new service specifications and performance standards, and defined three key services to provide acute care: • hyper-acute stroke units (HASU) to provide the immediate response to a stroke; • stroke units (SU) to provide multi- therapy rehabilitation and ongoing medical supervision following a patient’s hyper-acute stabilisation; • transient ischaemic attack (TIA) assessment services to provide rapid diagnostic assessment and access to a specialist – within 24 hours for high-risk patients, and within seven days for low-risk patients.

Following engagement with key stakeholders it was concluded that the major step-change required in stroke care could only be achieved if all Londoners have equal access to a specialist unit”.

“Patients should be no more than 30 minutes travel from a HASU. On arrival, a stroke patient should be assessed by a specialist, and have a CT scan and clot-busting drugs (if appropriate), all within 30 minutes; • Once stabilised (around 72 hours) patients should be moved from a HASU to their local stroke unit where they will receive high-quality rehabilitation care”. (from NHS London stroke strategy) Hopefully when the immense benefits provided by the new stroke care system are demonstrated to local people during the consultation period they will be happy to accept it.

Finally, people who have had a stroke prefer to be referred to as stroke survivors rather than stroke victims. On their way to hospital they are stroke patients.

John Murray Landrock Road London Fair Trade supporter Sir - I would ask all electors in Skipton South to note there is an error in my election leaflet, which states that I am involved in the Skipton Free Trade Initiative.

This should, of course, read The Skipton Fair Trade Initiative Group.

My apologies for any confusion that this may have caused.

Alan F Hickman Skipton South candidate Craven District elections Skipton Posters and policies Sir - I like Miss Dillon’s idea of Julian Smith’s ‘somewhat’ vulgar signage. (Letters, April 16). We can thank our lucky stars that it doesn’t shout: “Yo! Vote for Jules”, or “Smith: like Darth Vader, only Prettier”. How comforting to know that a candidate for election knows how to be quietly, restrainedly common instead of flat out, in yer face vulgar.

To Miss Dillon doubtless those Labour posters in ordinary family homes overlook a baker’s boy toiling up the cobbled hill as an humble tea is eaten off oilcloth, the Light Programme boasts Arthur Askey, and pa fills his pipe prior to going for a gill after day shift.

To equate either party and their policies with the appearance and siting of their posters strains belief. As does the implication that to support any party which looks after one’s personal interests is wrong. I presume Miss Dillon will vote for a party which will not be doing so for her, then? So, Julian Smith - somewhat vulgar or not.

Allan Friswell Keighley Road Cowling Finishing ‘the job’ Sir - One of the letters in the Craven Herald 16 April criticises the ‘vulgar signage’ of Julian Smith in places owned by the ‘millionaire’ families of the county, and suggests that these families are more than happy to support a party which looks after their personal interests, whereas Labour Party supporters are just ordinary people.

We have put one of Julian Smith’s signs in our window, and we are not millionaires, far from it. We support the Conservative Party because it looks after the longer term interests of the nation, and not the short-term ‘solutions’ offered by the Labour Party.

These, when Labour have been in office in the past, always end up with the Conservatives having to clear up the mess afterwards (Callaghan “crisis, what crisis?”, Blair/Brown “end to boom and bust”, “There’s no money left”). The trouble is, the more mess they leave us in, the more stringent are the measures required to put things right.

The head of the International Monetary Fund, when speaking in Washington last week on the UK government’s economic strategy, said “it’s obvious what’s happening in the UK has worked”.

This is supported by the German finance minister’s comment that “the UK and the UK economy have done a wonderful job in the last couple of years, and I think the UK and George Osborne have a very good plan for the future”.

So please, let the Conservatives finish the job, in our own interests, in the national interest, and in the interests of our children and grandchildren.

Richard Colley Park Avenue Skipton Backing small firms Sir - There has been some recent discussion regarding the need for revitalising the local retail sector.

We can all play our part by supporting our small local businesses. There are still local butchers and bakers (not sure about the candlestick makers) and coffee shops.

I very much enjoy a daily coffee at Bean Loved, a fine example of a small local business. Such a business is able to provide that personal touch, taking care of their customers, treating their staff with respect and always being prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty.

The Tories support the large impersonal businesses - unlike the Labour Party which does support the small businesses. We in Skipton need to consider the need to think and act locally and support our own small businesses as often as possible.

Chris Rose Hurrs Road Skipton