Date:

 

Jeff Martin,                                                        
Corporate Director – Environment  
Monmouthshire County Council
6th Floor, County Hall
Cwmbran
NP44 2XH

 

Dear Sir

Re: Proposed Development at Shirenewton Golf Course. Ref no: M/10363

I am writing to strongly object to the above referenced proposed development at Shirenewton Golf Course. I would ask you to consider the following points:

  1. I understand that there are 2 local plan documents to be considered. There is the adopted local plan which was adopted in May 1997 (the “Adopted Plan”) and the Monmouthshire County Council Unitary Development Plan Deposit version of 2001 (the “Emerging Plan”) which is still work in progress.

    The proposed development is outside of the village development boundary for Shirenewton and therefore contrary to policies H3 and H6 of the Adopted Plan and H3 of the Emerging Plan.

    The site also lies within a special landscape area and is therefore contrary to policies C3A and C3B in the Adopted Plan and policy C3 of the Emerging Plan.
     
  2. I understand that the current sewerage system in the Shirenewton, Mathern and surrounding areas is currently operating at or beyond its design limit and the responsible authorities have requested that no new development take place until the sewerage system is upgrade sometime in the next 10 years.

    Clearly the approval of additional family dwellings will add to the sewerage problem.
     
  3. I understand that the Golf Course and its surroundings have an abundance of wildlife and are sufficiently important to be considered of Special Scientific Interest. The area is not currently designated as an SSI as there is no threat to the environment so long as the Golf Course is maintained.

    Therefore it is impossible for you to consider this application in isolation of the complete golf course and associated land. The development company (ie owners) concerned has made no mention of its plans for (i) the golf course itself, and (ii) the surrounding land. In fact, at a recent public meeting held in Shirenewton a representative of the company stated that the company had “no plans” for the remaining land! Clearly this is unacceptable and needs to be addressed.


It would seem that the development company is seeking to achieve a commercial return by the conversion of the club house and the abandonment of the Golf Course. In the event that, despite mine and others misgivings and objections, the application is approved I believe that the Council should require the owners to enter into a Section 106 obligation that will return the Golf Course to the wooded, historic landscape which its adjoins and from which it came.

I understand that  the Chief Planning Officer of Wales (or similar) has recently addressed a conference emphasising that planning should be thought of as a local democratic process.  I urge you to take my views and those of the village community into serious account and firmly reject the application.

Yours sincerely

Signed:

 

Name:
 

Address: