I responded to a question from the Maidenhead Advertiser asking for the Holyport Residents Association view on a Gypsy Site proposed under RBWM Planning Application 13/00702 . The question was asked on Wednsday 20th March shortly before the newspaper would be published so an urgent response was requested.
I responded saying;
Firstly that the Holyport Residents Association was not sufficiently established for me to comment on their behalf.
Secondly that the application and the map seemed to show the location within the area covered by the Oakley Green and Fifield Residents Association.
Thirdly that as a general principle I have no objection to travelling people settling down provided that they behave as normal people, not causing any disturbance and fitting in with the existing population.
Fourthly that the location appeared to be far enough away from immediate neighbours so that few people would have reasonable grounds to object.
It has been suggested in the forum that I should not have commented, as by association it could be inferred that I spoke on behalf of the HRA. I agree and will not make such comment in future without having gained the views of the HRA membership.
Regarding the location – there has been doubt as to where the boundary should lie between the HRA and the Fifield and Oakley Green Residents Association. A membership application on 26th March 2013 from post code SL6 2NN has highlighted this problem and it appears that this area is close to the proposed Gypsy site and is in the Holyport “Ward”.
Regarding what I said about personally having no objection to travelling people settling down provided that they behave as normal people, not causing any disturbance and fitting in with the existing population. For myself, I stand by that statement including the provisions I stated.
What I said about the location not being near neighbours was wrong – I had believed that the site was half a mile further South than it is.
Also I had not known about the preliminary work at and near that site as pointed out in the Forum.
In conclusion;
I responded saying;
Firstly that the Holyport Residents Association was not sufficiently established for me to comment on their behalf.
Secondly that the application and the map seemed to show the location within the area covered by the Oakley Green and Fifield Residents Association.
Thirdly that as a general principle I have no objection to travelling people settling down provided that they behave as normal people, not causing any disturbance and fitting in with the existing population.
Fourthly that the location appeared to be far enough away from immediate neighbours so that few people would have reasonable grounds to object.
It has been suggested in the forum that I should not have commented, as by association it could be inferred that I spoke on behalf of the HRA. I agree and will not make such comment in future without having gained the views of the HRA membership.
Regarding the location – there has been doubt as to where the boundary should lie between the HRA and the Fifield and Oakley Green Residents Association. A membership application on 26th March 2013 from post code SL6 2NN has highlighted this problem and it appears that this area is close to the proposed Gypsy site and is in the Holyport “Ward”.
Regarding what I said about personally having no objection to travelling people settling down provided that they behave as normal people, not causing any disturbance and fitting in with the existing population. For myself, I stand by that statement including the provisions I stated.
What I said about the location not being near neighbours was wrong – I had believed that the site was half a mile further South than it is.
Also I had not known about the preliminary work at and near that site as pointed out in the Forum.
In conclusion;
- In future I will not respond to Newspaper Queries without a lot of deliberation and consideration.
- I have said elsewhere on this site that the HRA is to develop so as to be able to represent the views of the people of Holyport. Establishing people’s views is not easy and requires a survey of some sort. Suggestions are invited as to how we should proceed with this. For instance – you all could send me by email a list of questions you would like to see asked of members.
- See the Poll on Gypsy / Traveller sites.
RSS Feed
