Campaigners for a village green have been left ‘astonished’ after a delay in a public inquiry decision.
The project to designate an area on the northeast side of Lye Green village as a ‘Village Green’ took its next steps in March, when Buckinghamshire Council held a major public inquiry, which heard evidence from residents and the landowner over several days.
Years prior to the inquiry, Brown Not Green Chesham campaign spearheaded by chartered planning surveyor Phillip Plato has called for the parcel of land to be protected from development.
Without the official Village Green status and legal protection that comes with it, the campaigners fear a housing developer could make a bid over the land, which is used for recreation and enjoyment by residents.
Almost six months after the public inquiry concluded on March 29, no decision on the fate of the village green has been announced.
Phillip Plato claimed they were given a “clear” indication that the inspector would “present his report to the Council within circa two months and the Council, in turn, would then announce their decision on the Village Green status of the land shortly thereafter.”
He told the Free Press: “I’m astonished it’s taken so long. I’m a surveyor, so I know things take a while in planning and public inquiries. But this has been quite unexpected and also not just the delay but the fact that the process seems to have changed.
“We’ve not seen the report but we’ve been told it’s in draft form, but we were not told they will work in draft form and then make their decision. What’s the process if the Council will change the draft and make changes.”
He acknowledged that the evidence submitted to the inquiry was “substantial”, including around 260 written statements from residents, including some who are accustomed to enjoying the land for more than 20 years for recreation.
Due to the high number of people using the land each day - sometimes averaging 400 people - the Brown Not Green campaign believed the land should be registered as a Village Green, Phillip said.
“I’m hopeful that the voluminous evidence presented will overcome the very technical points the opposition were making. Maybe it’s because of those legal arguments they were making that the Council is making sure there is no legal technicality. I hope that’s the case but the longer it takes the more worrying it is," he added.
Buckinghamshire Council could not provide an update on when the report is expected to be published or what has caused the delay.
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