Nocton Dairies Liaison Group - meeting

Inaugural Meeting Tonight

Before Nocton Dairies Ltd hold their inaugural 'Community Liaison Group' meeting tonight and start issuing their PR blurb, I thought I'd better pose a very important question for you all to consider.

Is this really a genuine attempt by Nocton Dairies Ltd and their newly-appointed PR company to re-engage with the local community... or a cynical ploy to improve their chances of success when the planning application is resubmitted? 

Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Review

You may like to study the following recommendations issued by North Kesteven District Council to Nocton Dairies Ltd, following their Formal Scoping Opinion and then make up your own mind
[Source: NKDC Formal Scoping Opinion - look under the 'Documents' tab]:

"Other issues - content/format of ES

The ES must also be accompanied by a non-technical summary, and your suggested ‘Part 1’ of the ES should also include a specific discussion of your publicity and pre-application discussions regarding the scheme, focussing on public engagement."

"This chapter should also set out clearly where changes have been made to the scheme reflective of the feedback you gain from any public engagement sessions, where that feedback raises issues of material relevance to the proposed scheme..."

"Parish Council/Public scoping observations

In addition to responses received from our statutory and non-statutory consultees, I have also enclosed copies of correspondence received from members of the public, Parish Councils and other organisations with an interest in this proposal.

I have reviewed all of these submissions and am satisfied that the scope of the ES should allow you to respond fully to those queries raised. Where further information may be required on the basis of those observations I have stated this in this list of questions which is appended to this Scoping Opinion.

As you will note from the issues raised by members of the public in their formal responses to the scoping request, the principle concerns raised locally are largely in relation to traffic movements, hydrogeology/groundwater risk, and residential amenity (noise, odour and fly generation). These essentially replicate the matters deemed by us to be outstanding at the time of the withdrawal of the previous application and as such it is essential that these issues are given full consideration in the ES.

I would stress that the points referred to in this letter as drawn from consultee responses are extracts of the most salient matters which should be addressed through the ES, rather than matters of finer detail. As such, I would recommend that all consultee responses are reviewed in detail and addressed through the preparation of the ES and any other supporting documentation."

Summary

Q1: Why do Nocton Dairies Ltd really need to embark on a series of consultation meetings now, just before the planning application is to be resubmitted?

Q2: Hasn't Nocton Dairies Ltd already been appraised of all the concerns expressed by consultees/public and the data supplied to them for study and review?

Q3: Is it just to enable Nocton Dairies Ltd to 'tick the box' when it comes round to proving there has been an attempt at public engagement sessions?

Q4: Will this change Nocton Dairies Ltd approach to their planned development... will they decide to withdraw as Velmur Ltd admirably did with their South Witham Dairy plans, once they had listened to the outcry from their local communities?

I know my view, I do not want these huge intensive dairy units to become the norm in the UK countryside... yet Nocton Dairies want this to be a flagship operation, paving the way for more to follow... but what is your view? 

For me, there is no middle ground.  I just want them to go away.

Finally,  I came across this article when carrying out research for the first application... and a friend reminded me of it just yesterday... pertinent don't you think?

Nocton Dairy Consortium

http://community.hortweek.com/blogs/kossoff/archive/2010/03/15/nocton-dairy-consortium.aspx