Prehen Woods Planning Appeal - support needed

[marian farrell]

Dear friends

Just to let you know that because the promised independent review of the Prehen Woods case has not yet been conducted, we have been lobbying to get the proposed Planning Appeals Commission appeal suspended or postponed. Initially there were some indications that this might happen, but as we have not yet had confirmation of a suspension or postponement of the appeal we think that it would be wise for everyone to prepare their statements in support of the revocation of planning permission and submit those statements by the 4th of February 2014 so that they will be with the PAC by the deadline of the 6th of Feb. Please note that according to PAC requirements, five copies of your statement must be submitted and these must be actual hard copy letters that have to be posted to or handed in to their offices. All statements (which must be not more than 1500 words) must contain your name and address and the planning application reference numbers which are A/2005/1166/F and A/2010/0203/F

The Planning Appeals Commission address is:

PAC

Park House 

87/89 Great Victoria Street

Belfast BT2 7AG

If anyone needs info from PAC they should phone Jennie Miller at 02890257222

We understand that there are many supporters of the Prehen Woodland campaign who have a great understanding of what the campaign is all about and therefore will not have any difficulty in stating the case for the retention of the revocation order. However there may be others who may not feel sufficiently confident about the procedures when submitting case statements to the PAC and for those in that situation it would be quite in order to provide your name and address to us so that we could add your details to our list of case supporters. Send your name or names and addresses to George at email ---- [e-mail] Tel. [phone] or Damian at email--- [e-mail] Tel [phone]

For those wishing to submit their own statements of case to the PAC 

We suggest that as well as making your own important points to the PAC regarding this case, you should be sure to include the following statements that you support the Ministerial decision to partially revoke planning permission at this environmentally sensitive ancient woodland site and that you also strongly feel that planning permission should be revoked for all of the proposed dwellings.

You should state that allowing a roadway through this ancient woodland area and allowing the important woodland protective buffer zones to be disregarded is totally against the rulings and requirements of the Derry Area Plan 2011.

You should state that in an area which is extremely rich in all kinds of wildlife including the protected Red Squirrel it is beyond belief that an Environmental Impact Assessment was not carried out at this site. Surely this serious flaw in planning procedure would nullify any permission granted to this application.

Do not feel that you need to submit very lengthy statements of case, a brief submission that covers the main points is quite acceptable.

We hope that these notes are helpful but if you have any problems please get in touch on the above phone numbers.or by email.

Thank you for your interest and much needed support.

Regards

George Mc Laughlin and Damian Martin

Prehen Historical and Environmental Society

Please note; Community Places will be running a free planning advice session for individuals and community groups at Holywell Trust Bishop Street Derry on Tue.  4th of February 2014 from 1pm until 4pm