Kevin Steptoe Esq
Head of Planning and Building Control
East Herts Council
Wallfields
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG18 8EQ 15 January 2019
CASTLE GARDENS, BISHOP’S STORTFORD
Your ref: 3/18/1922/FUL – Landscape redesign of the town centre park…
Dear Kevin
I am writing on behalf of the Bishop’s Stortford Civic Federation about this application.
The Federation has taken part in the discussions leading to the formulation of these proposals and we agree that they provide a welcome opportunity to enhance the castle, the War Memorial and the surrounding area. We would also like to commend the project team on the efforts they have made to engage with the local community and stimulate interest in the development. We believe that the proposals will improve this valued town centre asset and should be supported. However, to make the most of this improvement, better pedestrian links are needed between the site and the town centre. Such links do not form part of this application but we hope we can look forward to seeing proposals on this in the near future.
We note that the Council’s Conservation and Landscape Officers have reservations about the proposals and have recommended refusal of permission. It seems to us, however, that their reservations are about matters of detail rather than the principles of the scheme and we would hope that they can be resolved in further discussions with the applicant before the Council determines the application.
We are of course aware that progress with this scheme is contingent upon a Lottery Fund Grant and we now understand that the application has been successful.
Kind regards
JOHN RHODES