Village Views continued from previous page


had “…given councils stronger pow- ers to tackle garden grabbing.” It appears that the council’s plan- ning department has acted as the Secretary of State directed, after due consideration, but their decision has now been overturned. They have also followed the


recently adopted District Housing Plan, especially BDP 19n which spe- cifically states that the development of garden land should be resisted. This is also supported by the re-


cent Government White Paper dated Feb 2017 1.31 which states: “We will ensure councils can continue to pro- tect valued areas of open space and the character of residential neigh- bourhoods, and stop unwanted garden grabbing.” Our local area has seen many bad


garden-grabbing developments which is why the District Plan has tried to restrict these with the sup- port from the National Government. The Inspector has tried to justify his decision by saying that garden developments have been allowed previously, but policies change and past decisions cannot be a justifica- tion to ignore current policies. The whole process seems very undemocratic and leaves no process of redress for those of us affected by this wrong decision. It also calls into question the strength or purpose of


a District Plan which can be so easily overridden.


Name and address supplied Pavements left like


a patchwork quilt Dear Editor – Regarding the letter (“Verging on the ridiculous”, August 2017) about the mess left behind by Virgin Media on Oakfield Drive, Cofton Hackett: There are ugly square boxes on the pavement, which I believe contain wires. The pavements are a danger, like a patchwork quilt, and there is an ugly green hosepipe (for want of a better description) running along the ground to the houses. Whatever happened to


Bromsgrove council only allowing people to have a Sky dish (the good old days, I suppose)?


Another disgruntled Cofton Hackett resident


I worked with


Simon’s father Dear Editor – In response to the letter about a Barnt Green resident bumping into a former villager, Simon Bendall, in London (“It’s a small world!” July 2017): In the 1950s I was a colleague of


Simon’s father, A F Bendall (“Ben”), who was part of the English depart- ment at Bromsgrove County High School. I visited 1 Twatling Road, but Simon (“Sim” as he was known) was usually away at school so I didn’t re- ally know him, but knew about him. Ben could be seen out and about in Barnt Green after he retired. Rosalind Chambers


(née Mitchell), Alvechurch


Pricey pass Dear Editor – I always enjoy Hannah Genders’ garden articles in your magazine, and having read about Shakespeare’s New Place in her August article, I went to visit it. To my dismay the minimum


charge was £17.50 for a Town Houses Pass. I feel this charge should have been made clearer in the article. Jennifer Ball, via email


Hannah responds: I always add a website at the end


of any article where I am suggesting people might like to visit, to enable them to check details. On this occasion I believe the


entrance fee to the New Place gardens in Stratford is a combined ticket which gets you into four places or all five places on another combined ticket. Please always check before setting off – prices do vary from place to place.


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