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TBAG Fundraising Evening – a resounding success!

Fundraising

Our fundraising evening in the Theydon Bois Balti House on Monday 27th April was a complete ‘sell out’ and a resounding success thanks to all of those who came along to show their support for TBAG and appreciation of our lovely village and precious Green Belt surroundings.

Our special thanks go to Atique and all of his staff in the Balti House for hosting the event and for providing such delicious food at two full sittings. It gave residents and supporters a chance to enjoy a first class meal in very pleasant surroundings, chat with friends and join in a real community event. There were many compliments about the food and suggestions that this should become a regular TBAG event. We shall bear it in mind!

During the evening, a very successful raffle was held and we would like to give our special thanks to all of those local businesses and individuals who donated such generous prizes. There were some unique and interesting works of art, theatre tickets, vouchers for local businesses, several consumable luxuries and various other unusual but useful gifts.

All in all it was a very enjoyable evening and, thanks to the efforts of all involved, TBAG managed to raise over £2,000 towards their fighting fund. A heartfelt Thank You to everyone for your ongoing support of our voluntary work on behalf of all of the village.

TBAG Fundraising Evening – a resounding success!

Fundraising

Our fundraising evening in the Theydon Bois Balti House on Monday 27th April was a complete ‘sell out’ and a resounding success thanks to all of those who came along to show their support for TBAG and appreciation of our lovely village and precious Green Belt surroundings.

Our special thanks go to Atique and all of his staff in the Balti House for hosting the event and for providing such delicious food at two full sittings. It gave residents and supporters a chance to enjoy a first class meal in very pleasant surroundings, chat with friends and join in a real community event. There were many compliments about the food and suggestions that this should become a regular TBAG event. We shall bear it in mind!

During the evening, a very successful raffle was held and we would like to give our special thanks to all of those local businesses and individuals who donated such generous prizes. There were some unique and interesting works of art, theatre tickets, vouchers for local businesses, several consumable luxuries and various other unusual but useful gifts.

All in all it was a very enjoyable evening and, thanks to the efforts of all involved, TBAG managed to raise over £2,000 towards their fighting fund. A heartfelt Thank You to everyone for your ongoing support of our voluntary work on behalf of all of the village.

TBAG NEEDS YOU!

Fundraising, TfL car park

TBAG IS FUNDRAISING!

As you will be aware, the most imminent threat to the village from development is the proposed car park on Green Belt land by Transport for London (TfL).  Why is this a threat?  Not only is the site squarely within the London Metropolitan Green Belt and a car park would not normally be considered ‘exceptional circumstances’ for development here, but more importantly it would represent the first significant breach of the ‘Urban Edge’ (a planning term) of the village which is delineated by the railway lines.  If the Green Belt to the east of the railway lines is allowed to be developed, Theydon Bois can expect more than a few planning applications from our old friends on Old Foresters and Blunts Farm to name just two.

As ever, the situation is not so clear cut.  This is not just another full planning application that TBAG are resisting as we would normally.  TfL is attempting to develop the car park using Permitted Development rights conferred on them by Victorian Railway Acts, the detail of which has expired.  TBAG has already taken legal advice which indicates that TfL do not have those Permitted Development rights as they had not previously allocated or developed the land in question for railway operations use.  The TBAG Committee is therefore taking legal advice with a view to considering an action for Judicial Review of the decision taken by Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) to consider the application for prior approval (of permitted development) to be a valid one.

While TBAG has some fighting funds available, legal assistance is expensive.  To date, we have already spent £2,700 to get to our present position.  In addition, we also have to consider our financial position in the event of a lost review and the consequential costs that would arise from the defending party.

And for anyone who might feel that we need more parking space for the station, consider this: TfL have already put forward the existing Car Park and the Balti House Restaurant site, both brown field sites, under EFDC’s Call for Sites exercise as being suitable for housing development.  So the development will likely not amount to additional parking but replacement parking which will also greatly affect the rural environment on the east of the railway.  As ever, keep an eye on our website for more detail and up to date information.

TBAG NEEDS YOU! Please consider making a donation to our current fighting fund.  All proceeds will go towards our legal expenses.  The TBAG Committee are Theydon resident volunteers and do not charge for their time in administering this or any of the work that they do.  We do it, as our logo says, to protect the village of Theydon Bois.  Donations can be made as follows:  Cheques (made payable to Theydon Bois Action Group) or cash may be dropped in to the village Post Office and left with the staff. Please put it in an envelope marked TBAG. Or email us via the website or reply to this mailing to arrange for your donation to be collected. We also hope to be holding fundraising curry nights in the Balti House very soon and will be in touch again with the details.

Huge thanks go to our village Post Office for agreeing to help with this fundraiser and thanks to you too reader for your continued support.

Spring 2015 Update

TfL car park, Updates

Theydon Bois Action Group (TBAG) was disappointed that new Permitted Development legislation, which the Government brought into effect in April 2014, did not exempt the Green Belt in spite of strong views which were expressed in responses to the Government’s Consultation Document. We were, however, pleased to see a press release and Ministerial Statement in October 2014 from the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles MP, urging Councils to ‘Protect our precious Green Belt land’. We hope that Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) will take this on board in developing the new Local Plan which will determine where, and how many, dwellings are required for the next 20 years. This Ministerial Statement is of particular importance as our District comprises of some 92.4% Green Belt land. We note with interest that Guildford Borough Council in Surrey has announced that it will reassess its Draft Local Plan in the light of the new Government Planning Practice Guidance on the Green Belt. EFDC’s Consultation on the “Preferred Options”, where development could potentially take place, has slipped further and is now scheduled for June to September 2015.

The most serious threat to our Green Belt, and which also has far reaching implications for the future protection of the Green Belt to the east of the village, has been gaining momentum throughout 2014. The first indications of this threat took place back in March 2014 when contractors for Transport for London (TfL) cleared the former allotment site to the east of the tube line of all vegetation. The whole site was effectively razed to the ground, including the destruction of old apple trees which remained from the allotment days. This action on behalf of TfL took place with no warning and no consultation with the Parish Council or villagers. Various spurious explanations were given by TfL before TBAG finally learned that the construction of an 80 space car park was proposed for the site, which TfL claimed they could carry out without planning permission.

TfL claim that they can exercise Permitted Development rights, based on old Victorian railway acts going back to 1845, which they have supported with Advice from their Counsel. TBAG are not convinced of this and engaged our own barrister who has advised that the proposed development of a car park does not constitute Permitted Development and that a full planning application should be requested by Epping Forest District Council as a matter of law. Only with a normal planning application can a full and proper consultation with all interested third parties take place. Under Permitted Development, only limited comments can be made. Matters such as important Local and Government Green Belt Policies and traffic safety/Highways issues cannot be taken into account. Theydon Bois Action Group, our Parish Council and Rural Preservation Society are committed to doing all they can to ensure that TfL should submit a proper planning application. TBAG are currently considering taking further legal action in the form of a Judicial Review should this be necessary.

The Chairpersons of TBAG, Theydon Bois & District Rural Preservation Society and CPRE – Epping Forest Branch met with Eleanor Laing MP recently to discuss the situation and seek her support. Villagers may not be aware that, in 2009, TfL put forward Theydon Bois station car park as a potential site for development as part of the new Local Plan. The existing car park site is brownfield land and we do not know what plans TfL may have in store for this site in the future!