Residents of Bridstow are so concerned about the emerging Neighbourhood Plan being prepared for Bridstow and Wilton that they have consulted a firm of solicitors.

They are considering whether to mount a judicial review of the ‘decision making process’.

The residents, who have written letters to the Gazette expressing their concern about the choice of what they consider to be a ‘prominent site in the AONB with highly problematic access’ as their preferred site for housing.

Solicitors Star Legal, specialists in public administration law, acting for a local resident, have written to Bridstow Parish Council questioning, “the validity, and indeed legality, of the processes followed in preparing the Bridstow and Wilton Neighbourhood Plan.”

The letter has been copied to the Gazette. The letter notes the failure of the Parish Council to act on the previous written complaint about the actions of some members of the Steering Group and the conduct of the public consultation process.

It goes on to note that they believe that a qualifying body should have carried out an appraisal of sites against clearly identified criteria.

The letter drafted by Iain Cameron, a senior member of the firm, states a belief that the Steering Group and the Parish Council have drafted a Neighbourhood Plan that has both, “taken into account those matters it should not have done and not taken into account those matters it should have.”

It warns that, “we have been asked to consider mounting a judicial review of the decision making procedure” and that, “unless the [site assessment] process is conducted again, using clearly identified (by which we mean both clear and publicised) criteria, and with all parties formally made aware of their duties and responsibilities, we are instructed to institute the pre-action protocol and seek the evidence we will rely upon.”

The next meeting of the Parish Council takes place on January 16th.