Dear Editor

Further to my letter in the Ross Gazette on Wednesday, January 9th, 2019, regarding the fact that a Town Council planning meeting was held on December 18th, 2018, two days prior to the due date people were requested to submit their comments on the Merrivale plans.

The kindest remark that could be said about it, is that it was a fiasco.

Even if the comments on the plans were not received until December 20th, there should still be a period after that date to allow the public to inspect them before the meeting could be held. Whether it was the planning officer or the council members or both who arranged the date of the meeting, their action could not be seen as democratic and must be regarded as an error.

Surely because of this situation the whole thing should be deleted and declared void, and a new meeting be arranged as due democratic process was not permitted to occur.

No discussion was allowed on other items raised at the meeting, not least that the original application was for 22 houses.

Also, because of the opposition to the siting of the entrance to the site, a member of the planning team suggested it could be moved further down towards Alton Street. In my humble opinion, this would causes even greater congestion. Any further entrance from the site could cause more danger to children walking to and from schools up the lane adjacent to the site was raised and appeared to be accepted by the Chairman.

In my opinion any entrance onto the site from Merrivale Lane is not viable and consequently before any planning permission for houses to be granted the issue of the entrance should be resolved.

David J Open

Ross-on-Wye

Editors note: as The Town Council is only consulted by Herefordshire Council on planning applications, it has no decision-making power, the dates of meetings can sometimes be an issue. Ross Town Councillors have frequently asked for more notice to allow them to discuss and respond to an application before the consultation process closes.