MADAM, Having recently attended consultation presentations about the Core strategy for Herefordshire, I believe that the greater Ross area is being blindly lead into a future period of total inactivity and stagnation. The latest version of the Core Strategy, which now covers the period into 2031, contains little or no infrastructure change for the Ross area, other than the construction of 2050 new dwellings ( 900 within Ross / Ross Rural ).

The Core Strategy contains no actions relating to the much vaunted Aerospace development that has been claimed to be coming to Model Farm, but does envisage a massive Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) on housing throughout the HR9 Zone. It would appear that little or none of the infrastructure funding is to be spent within our area, so we are to be a "Cash Cow" for major projects in other locations, mainly in Hereford and its' environs.

I estimate that the CIL could raise in excess of £18 million over the Core plan period if all the planned housing is built. The Core plan doesn't take account of the possible development at Model farm, or the significant elements of change resulting from the creation of 300+ highly paid jobs. The existing Core plan doesn't embody a Local Area Plan, which should have been drafted and approved by the local population via referendum.

There is no mechanism or desire to develop an area plan for HR9, so we are left with the totally inadequate County Council proposals which provide nothing concrete on education, medical provision, infrastructure, commercial development, transport etc;So "wake up" County and Parish Councillors and bring about an effective dialogue in order to create a local area plan before it is too late and we are irrevocably tied into a Core plan which doesn't reflect the true needs of Ross and its surrounding countryside.

Patrick Hughes, Wilton