Changes made to plans

‘Enormous’ changes to Nocton Dairies plans promised

'ONE of the farmers behind the Nocton Dairies project has revealed that ‘enormous changes’ have been made to the plans in response to local and national concerns'.

http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/hot-topics/super-dairies/‘enormous’-changes-to-nocton-dairies-plans-promised/35464.article

Yet what a difference a few days make?

Lincolnshire's Milk Shake-Up

http://www.lincolnshirepride.co.uk/pages/home/live-edition/countryside/lincolnshire-countryside

You will see that the public relations representative of Nocton Dairies (Amy Jackson) published this article in the Lincolnshire Pride magazine on 12th October, stating:

'Plans have been resubmitted as Pride goes to press to accommodate planning officers’ concerns...'. 

She also mentions:

'Currently, plans have been resubmitted following impact concerns by the Environment Agency, so what are the chances of the application for planning being accepted? Peter says he’s confident all the questions asked by the EA have now been answered.'

Hang on a minute, here we are on 6th November and it appears no plans have surfaced, or even been registered with North Kesteven District Council.

So what is going on... does the right hand really know what the left hand is doing?

This mixed messages approach is testing the credibility of the Nocton Dairy consortium to the extreme.  Publishing the article above has done nothing at all to improve clarity of the situation. If we didn't know better, one might think a bunch of amateurs were planning to set up this ground-breaking dairy.

Added to that, rumours abound that planning permission will be sought for just 4,000 cows... with slurry being spread across land owned by Nocton Dairies Ltd, EM Howard Ltd and possibly Nocton Fen Farms Ltd.  Of course, rumours always start where there are gaps in communication and perhaps if publicity had been better orchestrated from the outset, pleas from Nocton Dairies to await the re-application may not have been required.

Of course, the delay in resubmission may be that counsel is constantly being sought from Environment Agency and Environmental Health... with things being altered to fit demand... and that: '... all the questions asked by the EA have now been answered'  is not correct at all?

Whatever, I truly believe any concessions to Nocton Dairies' original plans are only being made because of the immense pressure brought to bear from the many specialist consultees, supported by public objections and campaigns in the local and national media.

If the UK is to embark on adoption of intensive-type dairying similar to that in the USA, it is only right and proper that these planning applications are considered extremely carefully.

Hopefully there will now be a much improved communication and consultation phase to go with these plans, before they are finally put before the Planning Committee of North Kesteven District Council.

This is a very positive result arising from the proactive campaign against the original plans, which appeared so flawed at the time, lacking the necessary detailed evidence to answer the many open questions.

Update - 8th November

Please see a copy of an email issued by Amy Jackson this evening.  This has just come into my possession and you may be interested in its content:

"From: Amy Jackson [mailto:amy@oxtale.co.uk]
Sent: 08 November 2010 7:08 PM
To: amy@oxtale.co.uk
Subject: update to liaison group

Dear all

Following contact from a couple of you over the weekend, here is a quick update that may be of use.

We were given a strong steer from you at the last meeting (see attached minutes) that you didn’t feel another meeting was necessary until the application was in; we just wanted to check this was still the case so if you feel another meeting may be helpful before we contact parish councils once the application’s in, please let us know

Sorry this is still dragging on – it is still very difficult to give an exact date of submission or validation of the application but we will ensure that the following communications happen when it goes back in:

- Letters and emails to clerks of all parish councils and this group once we know the submission date, inviting PCs to let us know what they feel their open meeting and other communication requirements will be for their residents

- Press release to media with key points of the plan – we will make sure the main local media are fully briefed so there is maximum opportunity for local residents to be made aware the application is in.

At that point we will also issue the updated factsheet to all local residents – Methingham through the parish council and other villages through a direct mail drop – and the website will be updated with the new information

While we have heard concerns that the consultation period will only be 21 days, we understand from NKDC that they are likely to invite initial comments over 28 days within the full consultation period of 13-14 weeks. So we would hope to be able to carry out public meetings as requested within the first 4 weeks after the application is validated

We hope to be back in touch very shortly with some news about resubmission

Amy"