National Trust response to Parish Council asking for movement on community Working Group to discuss Big Nature Better Access Plan
This is an important update from the Parish Council who have been diligent in trying to push forward this issue. Read the correspondence here:
It is now a year since this matter came to light via the CDC Local Plan process. It is 11 months since the CDC and the NT both agreed that a Working Group with the local community was essential.
In the meantime it is inconceivable that the NT have not started to implement their plan. Indeed they have recruited two new employees specifically for this purpose. Their occasional reports to the PC are thin in the extreme.
Any reasonable person might assume the NT are obfuscating and delaying engagement, as they promised to do so. I think that is unacceptable. A years delay is unacceptable. I think as a community we should make that clear and I would urge you to support the Parish Council and make clear your thoughts. Doing that empowers them. Sitting back and shrugging disempowers them.
My biggest concern is right now is that the CDC will drop EN18. The key part of EN18 is that it mandates and insists the NT work with the local community on this important project and demonstrate positive engagement. Without EN18 the NT will simply plough on without any useful engagement with the community that sit in the middle of their plans.
I note and infer a great deal from that fact that the NT have simply ignored the draft Terms of Reference put forward by the PC
There is no reason why as a first step these cannnot be discussed and agreed on. I wonder if the NT are lobbying the CDC for EN18 to be dropped.
Let me know what you think in the comments on substack ideally. All views are welcome.
