I have written elsewhere on the campaign to get a skate park up and running in Cromer, discussing the fact that whereas elderly residents are amply served by the community, young people, in particular, suffer for want of constructive activity or harmless ways to let off steam. Mrs Crox and Crox Minor are actively involved in a campaign to create a skatepark. It has the active support of the community in general, of all shades of political opinion, and the backing of our MP, ‘Stormin’ Norman Lamb. You can follow the campaign on Facebook.
Since I last wrote, the skatepark has secured a grant of £10,000, conditional on planning permission being obtained on the proposed site within a year. The site is part of an area of green space called ‘The Meadow’, next to an extant childrens’ playground that includes a zipwire, sandbox, swings and so on and so forth in like fashion. It is big, flat and not used for anything, and the landholders – North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) – are in principle happy to lease the land to the Skatepark Group. Plans were duly submitted to NNDC. There was every hope, even expectation, that the plans would be passed, that the skatepark campaign could claim its grant and use it as a kernel for the much larger sum they’ll need to develop the area.
The proposed skatepark site, earlier today. The existing playground can be seen in the distance. To the left is a high hedge, shielding the area from a road and a development of retirement flats located several tens of metres away. To the immediate right is woodland owned by the Cromer Hall Estate.
However, I also wrote that Cromer’s ruling gerontocracy will always find ways to thwart the ambitions of anyone wishing to further the interests of young people, no matter how well constituted their organization, and no matter how much support they get.
The plans received 23 letters of support – and also 11 objections, some possibly stimulated by an anonymous letter circulated to residents near the proposed site.
A resident of Cromer, not objecting to proposed skatepark site, recently.
Despite the fact that the plans received more than two-to-one support, the number of objections meant that the plans had to be referred to a meeting of the Development Control Committee. Many at the committee spoke in favour of the plans. However, one councillor said that the skatepark should be on a different part of the Meadow – one that’s sloping and boggy – on the grounds that children would no longer be able to use the proposed site for informal games of football and other sports. Despite the fact that the councillor in question presented no evidence that the area is used for such purposes, the rest of the committee seemed easily swayed. The planning application for the proposed site was not exactly thrown out, so much as the skatepark group was invited to submit an application for a different and much less suitable area instead, with no guarantee that any subsequent application would be successful. In other words, back to square one, with the potential loss of a large grant that the skatepark group had worked so hard to gain.
Who is this councillor who wields such power that a few words from him carry such weight?
The man is one Benjamin Cabbell-Manners. Mr Cabbell-Manners lives at Cromer Hall, his ancestral pile, the possible inspiration for Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles – and an easy stroll from the proposed skatepark.
Cromer Hall, earlier today, pictured about a minute after the picture at the top of this post was taken.
In addition, woodland next to the proposed skatepark is owned by the Cromer Hall Estate.
Woodland directly opposite Cromer Hall, and adjacent to the site of the proposed skate park. Note the useful fortification.
All of this is well known, but at no point during the session of the Development Control Committee, as far as I am aware, did Mr Cabbell-Manners declare an interest. Indeed, it should be a cause for raised eyebrows that he can serve on a committee that decides the fate of many developments, given that much land in and around town is owned by the Cromer Hall Estate. Even more remarkable, perhaps, is that his intervention at the Development Control Committee meeting, otherwise expected to approve the planning application, attracted neither criticism nor opposition.
The Cromer skatepark group is planning to appeal. Stay tuned.
Dear Henry
Whilst a knowledgeable man, you have failed to understand the evolution of the English gentleman and the deeper meaning of words and concepts like ice age, Llamarckism, gerontocracy, geriatricy, police-men, MacDonalds, electricity, eccentricity, central heating, sensibility, assimilation, democracy, aristocracy, pheasant and peasant.
The pheasant is a noble bird evolved to be shot by nobility, the peasant is an ignoble bird bred to be shot.
The last ice age scoured the land, apart from certain places. These places, together are known as green and pleasant land. They contain things like a parish church. (photo 1) and an Englishman’s home, his castle.(Photo 3)
Clearly you think La Maison de Giraffe is a castle – but because it has a French name, this does not make it an Englishman’s castle. Only those who can trace their ancestry back to Frenchman William the Conqueror are considered English, such as all those with the name Benjamin.
Noah was an Englishman, a friend of Lamarck, who being French was also an Englishman. Lamarck invented the technique, if you keep cutting tails off peasants, they will always remain peasants.
Now the famous English policeman Constable, he painted the green and pleasant parts the ice age didn’t reach and often included a peasant. – Where you miss out is that he never included a skate-park.
Skate-boards evolved from surfing. – Americans are the result of seedings from outer-space – thus MacDonalds is alien. – You can park a haywain, complete with complacent peasant, on a patch of Constables green and pleasant – but not a MacDonalds complete with hungry queue of peasants – and worse, on a skate park there’s not a pheasant in sight, only peasants. – Get real.
Sensibilities are real. – Assimilate Benjamin’s aristocratic sensibilities. – Think eccentricity and electricity – think of his gas bill – how much its costs to keep his poor soul’s sensibilities warm green and pleasant for his pheasant. Show some sympathy – bet on it that he suffers from Grade 1 listed poverty. -£10,000 – that’s £8,000 for a cheaper skate park and £2,000 for a backhander to go towards his next quarter’s gas bill. – Don’t think democracy or aristocracy – think Cleptocracy.
The cat of course, as animals do,
thinks we’re all mad whatever we do. (photo 2).
Hell and damnation, you’ve got me into poetry again.
Never-the-less.
Planning law is ‘fairly simple’. – If your proposal complies, refusal is unlawful.
Double check your application against the planning laws. – Don’t make what you want the objective – do it the other way round – make sure your plans are within what the law allows.
‘Local planning’ often works on opinion not law – appeal at higher level ‘should’ turn that around.
Don’t worry about time deadline on money – get the planning first – then perform a ‘prescribed works’ – a bit of drainage – a bit of foundation – which ensures planning in perpetuity. – Then you have time to finance.
Best of luck.
John the Plumber
Henry,
I suggest you have a talk with the committee clerk for the committee and make absolutely certain that Mr Cabbell-Manners did not make any declaration of interest at the meeting (it has to be recorded in the minutes). If so, then I think there is an argument that he had a pecuniary interest and should not have been present in the meeting, let alone speak. It is a matter for the Standards Board to decide – you may like to take advice from your local MP on this.
John the Plumber is right on one point; it is well worth looking at an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. which will only take a few months to go through all the stages and you can do in parallel with preparing a new application. I did my own appeal against my local council’s refusal of an extension to my house (and won); unless you are employing a professional for the appeal it may cost nothing at all or a relatively small sum. A significant factor will be the Officers’ recommendation: did they recommend granting the planning application? Also you can trawl their report for facts that support your position. Committee reports are public documents.