Calls to protect green space from development

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Monday, 8 July 2019 20:18

By Carmelo Garcia - Local Democracy Reporter

Campaigners are calling on Ross-on-Wye town council to protect land at the Chase Hotel from development.

The historic hotel is set to close its doors for good on September 30, this year, and many residents fear the Gloucester Road site will be carved up for new housing.

But local campaign group Save The Chase 2019 want the town’s neighbourhood plan to designate part of the site as green space.

Group chairman Joyce Thomas said: “We ask the town council to adopt the following two policies towards their final decision on the Ross neighbourhood plan.

“The unregistered land, the ‘green space’, should be designated as Local Green Space, because it is demonstrably special to the local community and it meets all the criteria outlined in the National Planning Policy Framework.

“The ‘hotel site’, should be allowed to be developed in line with existing local and national planning policies.”

She said the council’s decision is important for the town as it will govern local planning policy for the next 12 years.

Ross town council is expected to approve its formal submission to the neighbourhood plan at a public meeting at the Corn Exchange on High Street at 7pm this evening (July 8).

The campaign group has 35 registered members and more than 1,000 people signed their petition to protect the green space at the Chase.

“We believe the Chase Hotel should be designated as a local green space.

“It is so special to the community, situated in the heart of Ross,” the petition read.

“It is significant for its beauty, richness of wildlife, recreational valure, tranquillity and historic value.”

The group says the town is in danger of losing one of its finest areas of urban ‘green space’ that has existed since the hotel building was first constructed in 1818.