In January members of the Cynefin y Werin anti-metrix group gave evidence to the St Athan military training PFI CPO inquiry but as yet no report from the inspector has been made available to us! Why has the inquiry failed to issue a decision?
WAG and MoD are working together to delay the publishing of the inspectors report! Has the applicant Ieuan Wyn or any of his officials seen the report r participated in decisions on when and whether to grant the CPOs requested?
Has minister Ieuan Wyn Jones abused his position of privilege in his efforts to promote this privatisation of military training?
Has the inspector decided that the Weycock Cross road junction development is necessary or essential?
Has a case been made for spending £10million plus on an unneeded road junction which wasn't ewven in the Vale of Glamorgans UDP?
Bearing in mind that the whole St Athan project has been severely scaled down, which removes all logic for building a new college from scratch, evidence given to the public enquiry by MoD officials revealed that the capacity of the proposed college to have been scaled back from 6,000 trainees to 2,700! Yet they still plan to spend £240 million on SLA (single living accommodation) and £130.5 million on housing out of a total of £830.5 million!
Showing posts with label Weycock Cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weycock Cross. Show all posts
09/11/2009
Inquiry into St Athan DTC and Aerospace Park
Inquiry into St Athan DTC and Aerospace Park set for 12 January
Emyr Jones of the Planning Inspectorate held a preliminary meeting with Inquiry participants last week (3 Nov) and announced that the Inquiry would be held for about 3 weeks from 12
January in the Docks Offices in Barry.
There are 21 objectors notified at present, with several professional firms, as well as Llanmaes Community Council and Friends of the Earth (Barry & Vale).
The Inspector said the major reconstruction of the Weycock Cross junction and new Port Road approach had attracted many objections and he proposed to treat this part as a separate mini-Inquiry.
On the St Athan projects themselves, he said the Welsh Assembly Government would have to make a compelling case in the public interest for the compulsory purchases, and would have to
show a clear idea of what the land is for, that resources will be available for the developments within a reasonable time-scale and no planning impediments exist that might block them.
Max Wallis of Friends of the Earth said the Inspector’s emphasis on his independence from the Welsh government is welcome. He asked for disclosure of contractual arrangements between
the Assembly Government and Metrix. Max Wallis also expressed concern
that WAG's Counsel (Andrew Porten QC) proposed to give evidence only on
aspects of the case that bear on "delivery of the scheme".
The Inspector said he would allowfurther objectors to join the Inquiry, saying there is nothing to preclude others from taking part. He set 15th December as the date for
submission of Statements of Case.
The Inquiry Programme Officer is
Andrea Thomas (c/o Sarah Manning 01443 335617)
Emyr Jones of the Planning Inspectorate held a preliminary meeting with Inquiry participants last week (3 Nov) and announced that the Inquiry would be held for about 3 weeks from 12
January in the Docks Offices in Barry.
There are 21 objectors notified at present, with several professional firms, as well as Llanmaes Community Council and Friends of the Earth (Barry & Vale).
The Inspector said the major reconstruction of the Weycock Cross junction and new Port Road approach had attracted many objections and he proposed to treat this part as a separate mini-Inquiry.
On the St Athan projects themselves, he said the Welsh Assembly Government would have to make a compelling case in the public interest for the compulsory purchases, and would have to
show a clear idea of what the land is for, that resources will be available for the developments within a reasonable time-scale and no planning impediments exist that might block them.
Max Wallis of Friends of the Earth said the Inspector’s emphasis on his independence from the Welsh government is welcome. He asked for disclosure of contractual arrangements between
the Assembly Government and Metrix. Max Wallis also expressed concern
that WAG's Counsel (Andrew Porten QC) proposed to give evidence only on
aspects of the case that bear on "delivery of the scheme".
The Inspector said he would allowfurther objectors to join the Inquiry, saying there is nothing to preclude others from taking part. He set 15th December as the date for
submission of Statements of Case.
The Inquiry Programme Officer is
Andrea Thomas (c/o Sarah Manning 01443 335617)
11/09/2009
Welsh taxpayers £20m bill for unneeded roads for Metrix
WAGs Steamroller Aerospace Aspirations
The aerospace team in WAG have had to justify their aspirations for the Aerospace Park in the plans put to the Vale of Glamorgan Council for approval of the St Athan Defence College development. They call it a “draft comprehensive strategy” in the Design and Access statement dated May 2009.
As the recession has hit the aerospace industry, they hired a consultant (Mott MacDonald) for an updated assessment of its prospects. This shows claims to maintenance and refits for the RAF, which amount to no more than a wish-list. The consultant asserts the recession “should have only a short-term Impact”.
Yet the Prime Minister called it a "historic mistake to think we can now return to business as usual" (Gordon Brown, Interview with FT, 1 Sept.09).
Why does the aerospace team within WAG quote the industry consultant on their hopes for business-as-usual, rather than ask their own Minister, Iuean Wyn Jones, on this point?
The WDA, who dreamed up the aerospace ‘centre of excellence’ in 2001, were at least subject to business-viability checks within the Assembly. Now the quango is absorbed within WAG, there needs be no such internal check. When minority members of the Assembly Audit Committee proposed to scrutinise the aerospace plans, they were outvoted.
So St Athan is faced with green meadows being seized for a northern access road and housing (www.wix.com/stathan/stag), because brownfield land within the base is reserved for aerospace aspirations. And Welsh taxpayers are to pay the £20 million for unneeded roadsMetrix, , under WAG’s contract with Metrix
At least, there is to be an Inquiry into Compulsory Purchase Orders, where WAG’s steamroller can be challenged.
Welsh taxpayers 20m bill for privatised military college!
The aerospace team in WAG have had to justify their aspirations for the Aerospace Park in the plans put to the Vale of Glamorgan Council for approval of the St Athan Defence College development. They call it a “draft comprehensive strategy” in the Design and Access statement dated May 2009.
As the recession has hit the aerospace industry, they hired a consultant (Mott MacDonald) for an updated assessment of its prospects. This shows claims to maintenance and refits for the RAF, which amount to no more than a wish-list. The consultant asserts the recession “should have only a short-term Impact”.
Yet the Prime Minister called it a "historic mistake to think we can now return to business as usual" (Gordon Brown, Interview with FT, 1 Sept.09).
Why does the aerospace team within WAG quote the industry consultant on their hopes for business-as-usual, rather than ask their own Minister, Iuean Wyn Jones, on this point?
The WDA, who dreamed up the aerospace ‘centre of excellence’ in 2001, were at least subject to business-viability checks within the Assembly. Now the quango is absorbed within WAG, there needs be no such internal check. When minority members of the Assembly Audit Committee proposed to scrutinise the aerospace plans, they were outvoted.
So St Athan is faced with green meadows being seized for a northern access road and housing (www.wix.com/stathan/stag), because brownfield land within the base is reserved for aerospace aspirations. And Welsh taxpayers are to pay the £20 million for unneeded roadsMetrix, , under WAG’s contract with Metrix
for the Defence College.
At least, there is to be an Inquiry into Compulsory Purchase Orders, where WAG’s steamroller can be challenged.
by Max Wallis
Andrew RT Davies said at the meeting that WAG is "contractually bound" to deliver for Metrix: # northern access road # Aberthaw Bends (Four Cross) improvement # Weycock Cross mega-junction
Why has there been no debte on this? - No questions asked!
The Northern Access Road which slices through a greenfield site from the Llantwit bypass to Picketston.
The Defence Training Academy which is not limited within the current base perimeter.
The Aerospace Business Park takes up valuable space on the base, which could be used to reduce land use outside the wire.
The engine testing facility which directs noise from its operations directly towards Boverton and Llantwit Major.
The firing range located 300m away from housing will result in excessive noise levels for Llanmaes, Picketston & Eglwys Brewis.
The Biomass Energy Centre which is 30m tall and will disperse exhaust fumes across much of the locality, depending upon wind direction.
The Service Family Accommodation will occupy greenfield sites.
The main access gate which is located 95m from housing and will bring significant traffic levels into Eglwys Brewis.
The construction period which is expected to last 5 years, use routes through St. Athan village & Eglwys Brewis and could go on until 2028.
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