The Beginning of the End for Chase Farm?

Details of a Meeting you can attend in May + Details of How to Join-In the Public Inquiry Process on Chase Farm & have your voice heard + An interview with SCF Councillor Kate Wilkinson where ELAG ask what it's all about.

Confused? You won't be!

www.savechasefarm.co.uk

"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise which is an advantage & security to all but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Dis-trust." Demosthenes

What's It All About?

The Chase Farm Hospital Trust ( more a question of do you than are they?) has appealed LBE's planning refusal for 279 homes on a third of the hospital site (in addition to those already under construction already approved) & this will now be heard in a Public Inquiry. 

LBE had not advised many people about this + the letters LBE did send had the wrong address on them - So we are letting you know all about it & how to join - Time is short so please write a letter & speak at the Inquiry if you can.

On this page are details of a public meeting about the inquiry + how to write in & when by or speak as well + an interview with SCF's Kate Wilkinson who is organising the meeting.

It seems odd to ELAG that our hospital was given to a 'Trust' presumably in trust for us - They have cut services - cut staff - built housing on Hospital grounds & now want to sell off one third of our hospital's remaining site

Not much 'Trust' there then - Any 'Trust' has long gone from Enfield Residents & we fear the hospital will follow if the 'Trust' is allowed to act like a developer not a hospital.

Non-Political Public Meeting

A public meeting is arranged for those wishing to assist in the public inquiry process or to take part in the Public Inquiry.

Conference Room - Civic Centre - Silver St - Enfield - Friday 25th May 8 to 10pm.

Everyone Welcome 

You can Click Here to Mail SCF & confirm your attendance or just turn up

Chase Farm Public Inquiry - Taking Part

If you want to write to the Public Inquiry in opposition to Chase Farm Trusts application to build 279 homes on the Hospital Site:

Statements - Comments & Letters (in triplicate) must be received by the Inspectorate by 15th June (this deadline is an absolute).

You must quote this reference number on any letter:- APP/Q5300/A/07/2043798

If you wish to speak at the Inquiry you must say so in your letter - Although you can enter your letters without speaking & they will all be included & considered.

If you want a copy of the decision notice after the Inquiry you must ask in your letter to be sent this. 

You can write to the Inquiry process & enter your comments & request to speak - All letters go to:

Alexander O'Doherty (Case Officer)  - The Planning Inspectorate - Room 4/04 Kite Wing - Temple Quay House - 2 The Square - Temple Quay - Bristol BS1 6PN

You can call the Planning Inspectorate Customer Support Line on 0117 372 6372  (quote the case number) to ask any questions.

You can Click Here to view the planning inspectorate page for this appeal & use the link at the bottom of it under 'Documents' to view a further page where you can 'comment on line'

You can see information about planning appeals by Clicking Here

Letters you send to Alex O'Doherty at the Planning Inspectorate must be in triplicate!

If this is a problem you can write them to Alexander for the Planning Inspectorate (following the instructions above) & get them to:

Kate Wilkinson - SCF - Save Chase Farm - 15 Hillside Crescent - Enfield - EN2 0HP

Kate will copy them for you & send three copies in by the deadline date.

Please note in order to reach the Planning Inspectorate your leters must reach Kate by the 10th June at the latest but can be sent now.

ELAG asks SCF How Important They Think This Is?

We asked the SCF group to let us know what they were doing to encourage people to join in & why.

SCF Councillor Kate Wilkinson spoke to ELAG exclusively for this site & we asked her about the public Inquiry & its importance to the future of Chase Farm. 

Why are you letting people know about the Inquiry?

"This is everyone's hospital & I have been barraged by residents & various groups wanting to know how to take part - Someone has to try & ensure people who care about the hospital can take part if they want & are helped to do so if they need it.

It's important to give people the choice."

Why is it important for people to join in & is this political?

"I truly believe this is the beginning of the last battle for our hospital - It's not about politics it's about people & their right to choose the future of their services.

If this much of the site is lost the possibility of the long ago promised 'New Build' fully functioning hospital is gone & the liklihood of losing our hospital become more likely.

Over 60,000 Enfield residents have objected to the loss of their hospital & I hope a lot of them will want to take part in the public inquiry."

Do you think even that amount of people can affect what looks like a 'Done Deal'?

"Yes I do believe that people are key to this process it is a public inquiry & everyone who enters the process is counted & considered - Can you imagine if the 60,000+ residents who signed the petition all took part - Would you ignore that many people?"

(No we wouldn't as that's a lot of votes)

What's the hope then - What can we all do?

"We hope a record number of people take part & help to protect our hospital

We hope this will allow us all the 'option' of a fully functioning hospital in the public consultation stage that should be starting soon.

That consultation will be about hospital services of course & people can write in now about that but this inquiry could be the beginning of the end so it's imperative residents take part."

(ELAG have place information on SCF page as to how to write in about services - This page is about the Public Inquiry - Hopefully you will do both)

Who can take part?

"Anyone! Everyone! 

I hope groups & residents associations & individual residents will agree to take part in the inquiry - It is their right & I hope they will use it.

Enfield residents have protected Chase Farm magnificently so far & I am sure they will enter every battle to save their hospital in huge numbers."

What's next?

"We have organised a meeting & are inviting any resident to come as well as groups who want to take part in the inquiry or to help those who are joining together to fight this appeal.

We have invited as many as we can & hope others will see this site - Our site & the local papers & join in."

(Details at the top of this page)

Is it a cross party meeting?

"Yes."

Who is invited so far?

"Lots of people - Individual Residents & their Associations - Enfield Groups + Political People from across the parties."

It will be a meeting like no other with all those people together in the same room all on the same side - What will they have in common? 

"They will all be Enfield people who care about their hospital."

What if they can't come to the meeting?

"Everyone can take part individulaly just as a resident or as part of the 'meeting' or as part of a group  & they can contact us at any time not just at the meeting.

Anyone can enter their 'evidence' or letters to the inquiry & can speak at the inquiry if they want."

Anything you want to say directly to our residents?

"Yes. I want to let them know how important every letter & every speaker will be in this process & how much Chase Farm Hospital needs them.

I hope this public inquiry becomes a beacon for all the hospitals like ours that are facing closure.

I hope that Enfield residents will rally once again & make sure their voices are heard - Loudly & in great numbers."

"And lastly just to thank them."

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OK - ELAG have provided full details of the inquiry on Planning Weekly pages & details at the top of this one - ELAG hope to see you at the inquiry soon & please look at SCF page & write to the address there as well - Thank You