The "Planning" tortoise meets the Central Government Obstacle Course.Finally in December 1998 the joint planning application from ourselves and Cavalry Centre Ltd. was presented to the full Daventry Planning Committee. We attended in force and were very pleased as we listened to speeches giving full support from elected members and officers alike.Then came Christmas and New Year.
There were two applications, one for the building work (site plan) and one for changing the use to a Museum and Retail mixed use (use plan).
The site plans were agreed with "only" fifty-seven (yes 57) conditions - most of a minor technical nature. Although costly these should satisfy the queries raised by the various departments and objectors. We saw no significant problems in any of these conditions.
The 'Use Plan' again received full support and was agreed subject to only twenty (20) conditions. The really important one from our point of view is that Cavalry Centre are not allowed to open before us, i.e. "No retail floor space shall be open for trading before the Fire Museum is open for visitors". This of course guarantees our continued close partnership to achieve both our aims.
There followed a brief but wet celebration with our colleagues and we were talking in terms of a 12 to 18 month short term target meeting.The New Year feeling of progress and immediate action has now unfortunately been marred by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions deciding to use their powers to review the granting of approval of our application by "Calling In" the planning consent.Thanking you all for your continued support
We now know that this will almost certainly involve a five-month delay and probably a "Public Inquiry" of up to six days.
We are now in discussions to see if there is anything we can do to speed up the process as we find it confusing that there should be the need for a public hearing when there are no objectors who wish to address the hearing.
In the mean time the opening of the office at Weedon has gone ahead and we will use the time to press ahead with restoration and recording work.
I had asked Neil Wallington to delay the issue of Saved so we could announce the result of the Planning Committee Meeting but with the unexpected D of E action it has become even more important for our friends to be fully informed of the facts rather than be disheartened by rumour and misinformation.
As long as we use the next few months in a positive and helpful way there should be no need to let this latest development dent our enthusiasm for the creation of our Fire Museum.
Norman Dickerson