Watchfield Parish Council response to application to vary conditions on the Gypsy site

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Please click on this link for the Parish Council’s response to application P14/V1111/FUL to vary the time limit on safety conditions from ‘prior to first occupation’ to ‘within 6 months of first occupation’ WPC response to P14V1111FUL

Please click on this link to view the Parish Council’s complaint regarding the Planning Department’s handling of the above application Complaint re P14V1111FUL handling

Below is a response from the Planning Department

Dear Cllr Ware, Cllr Howell & Mrs Nodder
I write to you as local Ward Members and Chair of Watchfield Parish Council on behalf of Adrian Duffield, who is currently out of the office this week.
I am fully aware that the actions of a member of my team, which involved advising the agent of the applicants in question, that enforcement action would not be taken in advance of any formal request to vary an important condition of approval, has caused considerable distress and frustration.
I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for this. I fully accept that on a matter of this nature that the Ward Members and Parish Council should have been duly notified and consulted on any such course of action before advising the agent. I wish to stress that this is not the standard of service that the Council wish to see, and I want to assure you that the matter is now under full investigation, and I will keep you updated on the outcome of this exercise.
In the meantime, any current complaints on this matter will be treated as a priority and will receive a full explanation of events, including setting out what will be put in place to ensure this does not happen again, and how the particular matter will be handled in moving forward.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me should you wish to discuss matter further or if you would like to provide additional information that might be helpful to the investigation.
Yours sincerely
Derek McKenzie
Interim Development Manager
Vale of White Horse District Council
Derek McKenzie
Interim Planning Policy Manager
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils &
Interim Development Manager
Vale of White Horse District Council
Direct phone: 01491 823731