Letter to Thetford and Brandon in relation to Thetford Area Action Plan

The recent legal efforts on behalf of Shadwell Estate against Breckland Council would have surely passed by many in our town. But for those that have been involved, or merely watching the process known as the Thetford Area Action Plan (TAAP) or ‘Growth Point’ generally, there is now fading hope that growth will materialise in the way that many people had initially anticipated.
Shadwell challenged Breckland in the courts over the Thetford Area Action Plan with the support of a majority of Thetford Town Councillors. Not surprisingly the Conservative members of the Council would not go against the District Council – putting the interests of Breckland ahead of the Town, not for the first time. The primary issue that was challenged was in relation to the Stone Curlew and the bizarre fact that house building is being prevented towards the south of the town due to the presence of the Stone Curlew – a protected bird. This was despite evidence of stone curlews nesting in other locations, on land set to be built on no less, and a belief that the whole process was so unfair. But so what? Why should the town of Thetford be so concerned about this? If the houses are built on one piece of land or another, they will still be built. Two reasons really; if the new houses that we are to receive as a town are so grouped together in one area they will surely be more prone to becoming their own isolated community, not an integrated and mutually beneficial part of Thetford. The greater the new housing is spread around the town, and the greater the focus is on regenerating areas for housing, the greater the benefits for Thetford. Personally, I would have loved to have challenged the plan on its complete failure to deliver the meaningful regeneration of the existing areas of Thetford that so badly need it, or the support for our High Street that is yet to materialise.

For all this talk about localism and giving power back to local communities, it is clear from this episode that, to a very large extent, communities can still be dictated to by authorities like Breckland where there is little opposition. With their massive majority of 47 Councillors out of a total of 54, it’s no wonder that Breckland feel so able to charge around doing whatever they like with little concern. I sincerely hope that one day people will realise that their opportunity to change the outlook for our town comes but once every 4 years – when all 54 District Council seats are up for election. This is no desperate plea to vote Labour, but majorities of whatever party are not healthy – vote Labour, or Green, or Lib Dem, or Independent, or Monster Raving Looney Party if you must, but the only way Breckland, and therefore Thetford will be governed in a more democratic and sympathetic way will be when those that have power, appreciate what they have been given to a greater extent and fear that they might one day lose it.