Dear Editor

I would like to comment on the planning meeting which was held on Tuesday, December 18th by the Town Council.

The meeting was regarding the Merrivale Lane application to build ten houses on the land adjoining the Old Orchard Bungalow. This is something that I feel very strongly about for many reasons.

In the Ross Gazette, dated November 28th, in an article on page 12 regarding the Merrivale Lane housing plans, it announced that residents had until Thursday, December 20th to make their comments on the plans.

So why did the Town Council hold its meeting on Tuesday, December 18th, 2018, some two days before the residents’ comments had to be in by?

I submitted a letter to Herefordshire Council offices planning department on December 16th, 2018, by hand and asked the receptionist to ring the planning office to inform them it was submitted, which she did, while I waited.

She also said she would send them by email.

I attended the meeting held on Tuesday, December 18th, and I took copies of the letter I had written with me. I then asked a Councillor if he had seen it.

The reply was ‘no’. So I offered him a copy, which he rejected.

Furthermore, the Chairperson stated that we were allowed ten minutes only to present our comments at the start of the meeting, before the Councillors and their professionals discussed the application, and we were not allowed to question them or comment on their statements.

Every person, except the Councillors, who attended the Merrivale planning meeting, were against the proposed development for many reasons, not least the additional traffic and also the positioning of the intended entrance. I would be pleased to report on it if requested.

I would declare that I have an interest in the development, as my house looks down onto the site which affects my boundary.

David J. Open

Ross-on-Wye