A public inquiry into the Therfield Heath land swap saga could be held after the people of Royston and the surrounding area submitted their views to the Planning Inspectorate.
The Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens submitted an application to deregister land near to Briary Lane and Sun Hill under section 16 of the Commons Act 2006 and swap it with woodland of the same size to the west of New Road near Therfield.
The clerk to the Conservators, David Smith, said that profit from selling off the land to housing developers would go into sports facilities and the general running of the heath.
The plans received a mixed response by Crow readers, with both praise and criticism for the swap, and the Planning Inspectorate wrote to those who had submitted their views to confirm whether they would be willing to attend and speak if a hearing was held.
A Planning Inspectorate spokesman told the Crow this morning: “The application is still ongoing.
“We have received represenations and comments and it is likely there will be public inquiry. The decision should be made in the next 21 days whether this goes ahead.”
He also said it is not known when the public inquiry would be at this stage.
• See this week’s Crow for another extended postbag special.
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