Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Even if such a mechanism existed, the fact that the s73 applications have now been withdrawn makes it irrelevant.

 

The newsletter Q&As (p3) is clear that the failure of the planning authority to act promptly doesn't benefit the applicant.

My own reading is that there is a hobson's choice between stepping back now and trying again at a later date, and pushing ENPA in a way that might undermine their willingness to support the railway. In particular, I note the language of the final sentence on the scanned page - "procrastination" is strong and emotive language.

 

I agree. Even though the Planning Performance Agreement target date was not met this was never a guarantee to ‘grant’ permission, only a target date for a decision which could go either way.

The L&B’s poorly received (and then withdrawn very late in the day) proposal of the turntable/sector-plate/whateveritwas may also have contributed to this delay if it was seen as a significant departure from the original PP which the S73 sought to amend.

 

At the end of the day planning was granted in March 2018 with those conditions, according to the newsletter the trust sought advice in 2021 and applied for a section 73 in May 2022, so what happened between 2018 and 2021! Why was something not done immediately after the planning was approved to work around those conditions, 5 years is a long time to achieve nothing and now we have to wait even longer, absolutely disgusting in my opinion

 

Whilst appreciating Meatman (and others) frustration, I think quite a lot has been achieved over the past 5 years (- despite the obvious Covid), More track bed has been purchased, facilities enhanced, infrastructure renewed. The new General Manager is making a difference and the operation is more robust. but it is happening!

 

As I understand it, the law changed after the planning permission was granted, while the basis for the acceptance of the conditions was upended by the chaos of 2020-21 due to Covid.

 

even with covid,which in all honesty only slowed things a little, EA bought Bratton during the first year of covid , the first lockdown was march 2020 so that's still 2 years ,2018-2020 when challenges/ alterations could have been made just to allow some sort of work to start to secure the planning, a section 73 at that time to allow repair work, fencing and bottom ballast to be laid, even that in the S73 they just applied for without actually laying track or running a railway until they met the conditions would have been something to keep the faith

 

Its not just 5 years though is it, look at the bigger picture and these guys took over 17 years ago, what others built and achieved with very little money, by scraping together, by hook or by crook and dogged determination and still we have less than a mile of running line

 

It's all very well to criticise, but realistically could anyone else have achieved more? Bearing in mind that a lot of the land has only been acquired in the last few years. I don't think applying for PP over multiple plots of land owned by others would have done much for community relations

 

Have you checked with the L and B why is didn't arrive? I expect they will send you a replacement if it didn't arrive.

 

All fair questions, though I am uncomfortable with the implication in how they appear to be asked.

In particular, I'm uncomfortable with the idea that any planning applicant should get permission based on a set of conditions, and then seek to vary them immediately. To me, that suggests that they are not going to keep their word if it's inconvenient to them.

In the context of both local opinion around Parracombe and those whom the railway will need to persuade to be supportive, that strikes me as a high risk strategy.

 

Surely Royal Mail is not that different with deliveries round the country. It appears it is posted in Cornwall (by the Bodmin printers ?) One has been reported in Grantham, one arrived last Wednesday. Mine not yet received here in Bristol. Maybe it is posted in batches, presumably because the Magazine, Newsletter and flysheet have to be put in an envelope and sealed and then stamped. Or maybe spread so as not to over-burden the local mail sorting. As to the allegation that posts on social media have given ammunition to opposers, I am speechless. They are perfectly able to come up with their own arguments without assistance from us.

 

But you gave them said assistance never the less?

 

You mean they are still sending stuff by snail-mail ? ! Retain it for members who do not have internet by all means but the printing, dispatching, and mail costs are a considerable drain on finances that could be better used elsewhere.

 

Indeed. Furthermore, the current state of play must be generating a measure of satisfaction among the NIMBY ne'er sayers. Therefore any talk of gloom and doom will add to this. What they need to know is that even though the L&BR Trust has received what appears to be a setback, it will come back, in the absence of Grampian conditions, stronger than ever before.

 

Well maybe you should do a bit of research and see who actually got this railway back in the landscape, the guys the did that had very little money, much much less than those who run it now, had very little resources and yet achieved the impossible and have in all honesty been erased from the railways modern history, very few of those in charge now had anything to do with this railways rebirth yet they like to take the credit, so yes others have achieved more, a lot more, they even got bridge 67 built for nothing, as for your second point, there are i believe still 4 sections of land that need to be acquired and i think its been 3 sections that have been bought since the planning went in in 2018 so they did apply for planning on land they didn't own, ohh and then there was the debacle about applying for planning at the OSHI which resulted in a good old thrashing of the railway on the pubs FB page and a flood of letters of objection on the planning application on NDDC website, chuck in a handful of other instances as well and i think you will find these current guys haven't got a brilliant history on community relations either

 

It was known that the conditions made the planning almost impossible for anything to happen but to alter certain parts of the conditions to allow work to start should have been a priority, as i said to have been allowed to repair, fence and bottom ballast owned sections but not lay rail or run anything until all the land ect was in place, anything to secure that planning in perpetuity should have been done from the start, even more so after the governments ruling on the use of such conditions.
Sadly the strategy the railway ended up taking didn't do much for local opinion around Parracombe either did it

 

Some of us with internet access prefer to recieve a paper copy. I assume since you are asking the question that you are not a member. I believe that Magazines are despatched by the printer. My experience with other groups is that this saves on postage since printers have bulk postage arrangements. I received the last magazine earlier than most so the order members receive magazine varies.

 

Agreed. I will also add that the mailing includes both the regular magazine and a newsletter, so is more economical than the focus on the newsletter may suggest.

The wider discussion about member benefits has been had several times and in several ways. Without getting bogged down in minutiae, it’s worth noting that the vagaries of bulk pricing (mail and printing) mean that the savings from reducing the volume of printing and mailing may be quite limited if it can’t be eliminated.


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Given this latest setback (Hopefully only temporary) might it be an idea (Plan B) for the L & B to expand Where it Can rather than keep trying to expand Where it Wants. We (well nearly all) on this thread want to see a rebuilt L & B with steam hauled trains running through the North Devon countryside connecting communities and enhancing the local economy.
However, might it be an alternative strategy to build upon what they have, whilst continuing to buy plots of track bed as they become available. Thus there could be limited operations at Bratton, Chelfham, etc using, possibly Battery EV railcars so that visitors can experience what the L&B has to offer in an economic and environmentally friendly manner. These operation gradually extend and link together. This will enable The railway to grow and be seen to be growing. More volunteers would gain competences. The local economies would benefit and hopefully more local people will see the benefits of the L & B.
I appreciate that Battery EV railcars are not Heritage, but, I'm sure the two are not mutually exclusive. Without studying the fine details, I'm sure the increasing "Green" lobby would look favourably at a local transport system using reneweable electricity (hydro powered electricity from Whistlandpound?). The batteries charge during the week and should be sufficient to run uphill several times at the weekend, with regen braking going back downhill. There could also be an EV mini bus service between sites?
As the sections become longer and reach between stations, run rounds can then occur and steam operations become possible.
To an extent this is already happening as the development of Chelfham has shown, but to make it a policy would show a way forward.