Buttercups and
        May blossom, Manning's Pit

A planning application for forty one houses in the Manning's Pit field has been submitted to North Devon District Council.

If you have not joined our campaign already, now is the time.  If this application is passed,  a road will be driven through these slopes (above)  that are covered with buttercups each spring. 

Please help us stop this application that would destroy for ever the magical place that we all love so much.

If for any reason you were unable to submit your objection before March 16th when the consultation period ended, you can still send one, and it may still be considered.  Details of how to do this, and the link to the planning portal, with the application documents and responses, remain on this page (see the grey box below )



You've made your objection - what can you do to help now?

If your posters and signs have been damaged by the recent bad weather, put up new ones.

 Contact us if you want help with this. 

 Contact us by email  if you would like to help in any other way

Be ready to demonstrate if needed when the time comes

Write to The North Devon Journal, the North Devon Gazette and contact all local media.

Fund Raising.

Some of you have offered pledges of money for the time when it will be needed. We have commissioned consultants to help our case, which has been expensive.  Please help us pay for this, all donations welcome, small or large. You can donate through our website - please go to this page.

Come to our fund raising events.

We also have a notice board in the Reform Inn, Pilton Street.  Up to date information will be posted there too, and all three local pubs (the others are The Green Man and the Windsor Arms) will shortly have leaflets and our contact details.


How to Object to this Proposal

Follow this link to North Devon District Council website and read the application carefully. 

If you can, take your time to read and study the applicant's attached documents. If for any reason you cannot do this online, you can call the Council Planning Department on 01271 327711 and book an appointment to see the documents there.  

The planning application number is 62524, and the site address is described as "Land at Windsor Road, Barnstaple EX31 4AG." 

All objections must include the planning application number, the site address, both shown above, and - this is very important -  the fact that you object to this proposal.   You should also make sure that you use valid planning objections - you can found out more about these in the grey box below.

You can make your objection through the Comments section on the application page, or by emailing the Council Planning Department ( planning@northdevon.gov.uk ) directly

If you don not have internet access you can send your letters to:

North Devon Council Planning Department,  Lynton House, Commercial Rd, Barnstaple EX31 1DG.


The Consultation period ends on March 16th, so you do have a little time to think about what you want to say, and it will be very helpful if you can read all the applicant's attached documents first.   For other helpful hints on writing letters of objection - see the grey box below. If you want further advice, please email us.

Issues of most importance in regard to this application

Traffic

There are a number of obvious points that can be raised here: there are problems with the access through Windsor Road, and further on there would be increased pressure on the very narrow roads of Bradiford Hill, Bellaire, plus the access through Chaddiford Lane, and so on.

Flooding

Some residents were flooded this winter in Bradiford and Windsor Road, despite the Bradiford flood scheme. There is a long history of flooding in this valley.

Landscape/Visual Impact

This is a Secluded valley in the Council's Landscape Character Assessment.

Environment/Ecology

Proximity to the SSSI, wild life and plants -
 the more precise your observations can be, the better (dates, times of observations for example)


Residential Amenity

The importance of Manning's Pit to the whole community and the fact that it has been valued for many generations. Any evidence you can give about this will be helpful - again, be specific with dates and events if you can.


Remember to use your own words, be concise and to the point. 

You don't have to be an expert to make an objection either.  Many of you have used Manning's Pit as children, then as young adults ( as in the video interview with  Ricky Knight's  after our Protest March where he talks about walking up to Manning's Pit with his girl friend and future wife while they were courting) then as parents with your own children, and finally as grandparents and even great grand parents. You are the experts when it comes to the importance of Manning's Pit as a Residential Amenity - please write about this in your objection.

Manning's Pit has a special place in our community  - we need as many of you as possible to demonstrate this by objecting to the application.

Finally, as is mentioned in the links below, please be polite, and say nothing that is libelous or offensive.


The links below are to websites that give good advice about objecting to planning applications.

http://planninglawblog.blogspot.co.uk/p/how-to-object.html

http://planninghelp.cpre.org.uk/improve-where-you-live/how-to-comment-on-a-planning-application/letter-of-objection

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/library/publications/1632-how-to-respond-to-planning-applications/file

http://www.hampdenfieldsactiongroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/HowtoobjecttoaplanningapplicationEbook.pdf

North Devon District Council also give advice here below, it is important to read it.

http://www.northdevon.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/search-track-and-comment-on-applications/how-to-comment-on-planning-applications/


A helpful hint - download all the documents and save them on your computer, so that if there is any problem reading them later you will be able to access them easily.