Text of email sent to James Stubbs, Acting Head of Property Client, Somerset County Council and Cllr David

Huxtable 03/02/12. Dear James, I refer to the email below, which you have sent to some people that wrote to the Council in response to your notice of intention to dispose of land in the Quantock Hills. Despite writing in myself, I have not received this email but assume that you meant to send it and forgot. I find your response inadequate and complacent for the following reasons: 1. The land is protected from development by its status as AONB and SSSI. This may be so under the current planning system but, as you are surely aware, the Government is instigating a Treasury-led review of the planning system with the stated aim that its prime goal is to facilitate economic development. There is therefore no guarantee whatsoever that the current protections afforded by AONB and SSSI status will endure following implementation of the new system. Furthermore, I fail to see how either of these designations ensure continuing access you say Council Members felt that the majority of public concern was already addressed (by the lands planning status) 2. Covenants. You now say that you will consider using covenants to preserve public access once the land has been sold. Since this proposal was announced, you have always said that you would preserve public access after sale. How did you intend to give effect to that if not via a covenant? In what way is this a new concession? 3. Valuation. With all these constraints apparently loaded on the land at the point of sale and enduring thereafter, what do you really think the land is worth? Who is going to want to buy it if you cant do anything with it? Please can I see a copy of the valuation report. Please also confirm the identity of the valuer and that they are RICS accredited. Given that the placing of covenants on the sale is apparently a new aspect of the sale, no doubt you will wish to revalue the land to find out by how much this will reduce its value. Please confirm. 4. Recommendations. You say that One of the recommendations from the meeting is that the Cabinet Member-Resources should consider the use of covenants What were the other recommendations, please. I look forward to hearing from you, as a matter of urgency, given the pressing timetable. You can take this email as including requests under the Freedom of Information Act. Kind regards, Mike Rigby BA(Hons) BTP CEnv MCIWM ACP Councillor Working for Lydeard

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