The Planning Inspector recommended in favour of Basildon Council and the Wickford North Green Action Group. In his report dated 23 July 2008, he considered that the most important factor was not to build on the former Green Belt land, now in Special Reserve, at Barn Hall until the Basildon Local Development Plan 1998 had been reviewed; and until the suitability for housing of Barn Hall and all other sites had been tested through the Local Development Framework (LDF) process - in short, accepting the Council’s main argument to the public inquiry last June.

BUT, sadly (for democracy and fair play), the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, over-ruled the Planning Inspector’s recommendation and made the decision dated 16 October 2008 to allow building at Barn Hall, subject to certain conditions. It appears that her sole reason was to meet central government’s desire to build more houses nationally.

Basildon councillors are meeting immediately to consider this decision and whether a further appeal to the High Court is possible. A further News Update will be posted soon on this website.

You can read the Planning Inspector’s recommendation and the Secretary of State’s decision in full here.

On 23 June 2008 - the day before the public inquiry being conducted by the Planning Inspector in the Council’s offices in the Basildon Centre - members of the Wickford North Green Action Group and their supporters travelled to Westminster in London and, together with John Baron MP, presented the petition containing 3,521 signatures to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears. She will receive the Planning Inspector’s recommendation and make the final decision which will determine the fate of Barn Hall - expected to be by the end of October 2008.



The event was filmed and shown by GMTV, reported in the local papers, and John Baron MP issued a press release which said:

“Local democracy must prevail. Residents, local councillors and I are united in our wish to preserve this countryside for the benefit of local people. Let us now hope the Government listens, for the petition clearly illustrates the strength of local opinion which should override the wishes of politicians and bureaucrats sitting in London.”

WNGAG take the opportunity to thank all those who signed our petition and, indeed, all those who have supported us so enthusiastically in our fight to save Barn Hall over the last two years.

Members of the Wickford North Green Action Group spent the Saturday morning of 03 May 2008 in Wickford High Street asking shoppers to support our opposition of the development of Barn Hall by signing our petition before it is presented to Hazel Blears on 23 June 2008. A successful morning's work achieved in excess of 800 new signatures on the petition - our thanks to those who supported us! WNGAG are also taking the petition to all houses in the roads around Barn Hall and will be collecting more signatures in the High Street again on Saturday, 31 May 2008.

If you haven't yet signed our new petition, you can do so by clicking here - please encourage others to sign too.

The Planning Inspectorate have announced the date of their Public Inquiry into Gleesons Homes Ltd and Gladedale Group Ltd’s appeal against Basildon Council’s rejection of their Outline Planning Application Ref. 07/00801/OUT to build at Barn Hall. It will be held on 24 June 2008, beginning at 10.00am, in Meeting Room 1 at the Council’s offices in the Basildon Centre in St. Martin’s Square, Basildon. It may last more than one day. WNGAG encourage as many residents as possible to attend the inquiry and make their views known - loud and clear! For more information on what happens at a public inquiry and how the decision will be made afterwards by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, see Leaflet 7 - April 2008.

It is vitally important that everyone who is against building at Barn Hall signs our new petition, which WNGAG and our MP, John Baron, will present to Hazel Blears on the day before the Public Inquiry opens.  Even if you signed our old petition, please sign our new petition here and encourage all your family and friends to sign too.

Can you help WNGAG during the vital next stage when the developers have appealed to central government’s Planning Inspectorate against Basildon Council’s rejection of their application to build at Barn Hall?

Wickford North Green Action Group (WNGAG) is led by an executive committee of nine people. None of us are politicians or councillors. We are all just ordinary residents and householders who care for the countryside and don’t wish to see Barn Hall ruined. We meet approximately once a month and are supported by a large group of volunteers who deliver our leaflets to houses in the roads surrounding the proposed development. WNGAG is now seeking a new, tenth committee member - preferably someone with organisational or professional skills and/or legal experience to help during the next stage of our fight. If you feel that you are able to help, do please e-mail us and volunteer.

On 12 February 2008, at a Hearing held in public in the Main Hall at Bromfords School, Grange Avenue, Wickford, Basildon Council’s Planning Committee rejected the Outline Planning Application Ref. 07/00801/OUT by Gleeson Homes Ltd and Gladedale Group Ltd to build up to 200 flats and houses in the two fields at the end of Station Avenue in North Wickford. The main reasons were that this is open countryside, outside the urban area of Wickford, and that the development would result in urban sprawl.

You can view the papers prepared by the Council’s planning officers for this Hearing, together with the minutes of the Hearing and the reasons for the decision, on Basildon Council’s website here.

This was a significant victory BUT the fight to save Barn Hall permanently from development continues. The developers have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate (central government), who will make the final decision. Their inquiry will be held on 24 June at the Basildon Centre. Basildon Council will defend their rejection of this planning application 100% at the appeal. So will Wickford North Green Action Group (WNGAG).

Although letters opposing this development, already submitted to Basildon Council, were forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate, local residents had until 10 March 2008 to submit further comments direct to:- The Planning Inspectorate, 3/16 Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN. You were asked to give your full name and address, send 3 copies of your letter; and quote the appeal reference no. APP/V1505/A/08/2063131/NWF, the Appellant’s Name, Gleeson Homes Ltd and Gladedale Ltd, and the address of the proposed development, which is Land at North of Station Avenue, Wickford, Essex, SS11 7AY. Comments could also be made on-line and by e-mail; and, as the appeal progresses, it should be possible to see relevant documents on the Planning Inspectorate’s website here.

Over 200 residents attended the second Community Forum on 13 August 2007 in the Barn Hall Community Centre. They heard WNGAG members and councillors from both Basildon and Chelmsford Councils re-affirm their opposition to plans to build on Barn Hall - based on two main arguments. It is contrary to Green Belt policy, harmful to the environment, and will destroy countryside. It is also simply not needed, as both Councils have plans to build new houses and apartments elsewhere - primarily in town centres and on ‘brownfield’ sites - to meet their housing needs and central government targets. The Forum, like the earlier Petition (see the 10 January 2007 news item below) and the numerous people who have made their views known on this website under Your Comments, was further evidence of the strength of community feeling against development.

The period allowed for formal objections against the planning application has now ended and over 300 people have written to Basildon Council - a magnificent response! We now wait for the Council’s Planning Committee to make its decision. Councillors have advised that the Committee will meet in public and the meeting may be held in Wickford. WNGAG has sent a comprehensive, 40-page statement of their objections to the Committee and will make further representations at its public meeting.

WNGAG had a stall at today’s Wickford Carnival to publicise the continued threat to Barn Hall - see Leaflet 4 - September 2007 . A raffle was held to boost our ‘fighting fund’ with the winning tickets drawn by the Carnival Queen. If you would like to make a donation to our ‘fighting fund’, we would very much appreciate your support. You can send cheques made payable to Wickford North Green Action Group to Wickford North Green Action Group, c/o Hamilton Brading, Chartered Accountants, 1 Sopwith Crescent, Wickford, Essex, SS11 8YU.

We would also very much like to hear from you if you would like to join our group of volunteers who help us, mainly by delivering our leaflets to residents. We particularly need additional help for the following roads:- Arundel Road, Beccles Court, Berne Hall Court, Brock Hill, Carlton Road, Elm Road, Guernsey Gardens, Jersey Gardens, Jubilee Drive, Moreland Road, Pullman Court, Station Road, Swallow Road, Swan Lane and the Greenway. Help would also be appreciated for other roads in Runwell:- Alfred Gardens, Athelstan Gardens, Birrs Close, Canewdon Gardens, Carruthers Close, Church End Avenue, Clare Avenue, David Avenue, Edward Gardens, Egbert Gardens, Ethelred Gardens, Harold Gardens, The Hastings, Hengist Gardens, Hereward Gardens, Keith Avenue, Locarno Avenue, Merlin Way, Pearmain Close, Regency Close, Rettendon Gardens, Runwell Gardens, Saxon Close, South Hanningfield Way, Tidworth Avenue, Viking Way, Whitelands Close and Windsor Gardens. Do, please, get in touch if you can help us, either by e-mail or by writing to us at our above c/o Hamilton Brading address.

Wickford North Green Action Group (WNGAG) is helped by a willing and enthusiastic group of people who have volunteered to assist us - mainly by delivering leaflets to houses in the roads adjoining the proposed development. Communication is so important in campaigns like ours as it is vital that residents are kept up-to-date with the latest news and advised on how best they can make their contributions to the fight to preserve the lovely countryside at Barn Hall. In the last few days, 4,500 copies of our Leaflet 2 - July 2007 have been delivered. WNGAG would like to say a big "thank-you" to all our volunteers who are helping us; and, also, to the many people in Wickford who've contacted us to say they support us and have written to Basildon Council to oppose the planning application. Please keep those letters of objection going in and, if you too would like to help WNGAG, e-mail us to volunteer your services. Together we can win this fight.

While we wait for the planning application, WNGAG has been successful in having Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) made in respect of a total of 50 individual trees on the Barn Hall fields, plus the mixed woodland at the end of Jubilee Drive and the triangular woodland area between Clovelly Gardens and Station Avenue.