Matlock public meeting postponed

: Friday, 22 June 2012 09:51

A new date and venue will be announced soon after unexpected demand led to the postponement last night (Thursday, 21 June) of a scheduled public meeting in Matlock to discuss future housing options for the town.

Housing Options in the Dales Around 150 people arrived at Matlock's Imperial Rooms for the meeting in a room that is licensed for only 100 - so the District Council had no option but to reluctantly reschedule.

A spokesman said:

"An exhibition had run successfully at the Imperial Rooms throughout the day, but we absolutely admit that the turnout for the public meeting, which was due to take place from 7pm, took us by surprise. Previous consultations on housing options in Matlock have attracted around 40 people and indeed that was the number who attended the first of the public meetings in Ashbourne on Monday evening this week.

"We are of course delighted so many people want to have their say and we unreservedly apologise to everyone who was inconvenienced last night. We attempted to take everyone's name and address to enable us to contact them direct about the rescheduled meeting. A larger venue will be booked in Matlock and, if necessary, we will extend the period of the public consultation beyond 26 July.

"A further complication last night seems to have been that many people had turned up thinking a final decision was going to be made at the meeting. This was never the case - a decision will be taken by Members later this year after all the consultation feedback has been assimilated."

The District Council announced last week (14 June) that local people were being given another chance to have their say on where 4,400 new homes will be built in the Derbyshire Dales by the year 2028 to meet future housing demands.

The first public meeting and exhibition in the six-week consultation took place in Ashbourne on Monday (18 June), giving local people another chance to have their say on where developments should happen.

To meet the 4,400 target, land for housing needs to be allocated in the forthcoming Derbyshire Dales Local Plan, with the provisional distribution projecting 270 new homes in Matlock, 60 in Wirksworth, 160 in Darley Dale, 30 in Tansley, 400 in Ashbourne, 50 in Doveridge and 50 in Brailsford.

The District Council's series of public exhibitions and public meetings enables residents to discuss issues with planning officers and make their comments known.

You can view housing options proposals and comment online at www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/housingoptions

Exhibitions and public meetings

Here are the Housing Options exhibition dates and venues:

Mon 18 June: Ashbourne Leisure Centre, Community Room Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm
Tue 19 June: Brailsford Institute Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm
Thu 21 June: Matlock Imperial Rooms Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm [POSTPONED - new date to follow]
Tue 26 June: Wirksworth Memorial Hall Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm
Wed 27 June: Tansley Village Hall Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm
Thu 28 June: Doveridge Village Hall Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm
Wed 4 July: Darley Dale, Terrace Room, Whitworth Centre1 Exhibition 2-6pm, Public Meeting 7-9pm