31 Jan 2025
A detailed planning application is due to be submitted shortly for the building of 95 houses on Green Belt land opposite the BP garage in Watling Street – but the campaign group fighting the development has been gagged by SADC.
The outline application was submitted three years ago and eventually gained approval in November, after an appeal by public inquiry, which took place in September.
Subsequent to this, the land owners sold the land to Cala Homes, who will build the properties.
In June, prior to the appeal, SADC held a secret meeting in chaired by Cllr Edgar Hill, in which councillors present were persuaded to vote for a motion to offer no evidence at the public inquiry in support of their original decision to reject the application.
This meant that when the public inquiry took place, only campaign group Greenbelt, appearing as a Rule 6 Party, spoke out to oppose the scheme.
On Monday a “pre-application engagement” meeting was held, again chaired by Cllr Hill, where the housebuilder put forward details of the scheme and various parties present were allowed to question the developer as they felt was appropriate.
The guidance for these meetings states that: “Ward councillors and representatives from any relevant parish/tpown council/amenity group/resident group will be invited”.
Access to the meeting was by invitation only and Greenbelt were refused permission to attend by SADC, which claimed they were not a residents group and therefore not entitled to appear.
Paul King from Greenbelt said: “Denying us access was outrageous. Greenbelt is a residents group, in fact it is the only residents group that made substantive submissions at the outline application stage and spoke at both committee meetings on behalf of the residents, where the application was eventually rejected.
“We were granted Rule 6 Party status by the Planning Inspector, because she agreed that we were a residents group, representing a substantial section of the community. Since SADC chose to offer no evidence, soas the Rule 6 Party, we were the only party at the appeal opposing the scheme and representing residents.
“Greenbelt’s entire purpose is to represent local residents in planning matters, therefore there cannot be an argument that we are not a residents group. Due to our intense involvement over the past three years, we are fully conversant with all aspects of the outline application and could provide valuable input.
“Failure to allow Greenbelt’s inclusion in these discussions demonstrates that this new ‘consultation’ process is no such thing and is merely designed to offer a facade to the pretence of an inclusive process.
“This is similar to the underhand way that the council effectively overturned its own decision at the secret meeting in June. It is disgraceful how the council are conducting these matters.”
When Greenbelt discovered that the meeting was taking place, they appealed to Christine Traill, the SADC director who oversees all aspects of planning and housing within the council, requesting that they be permitted to attend, but she refused them access. Legal representatives of the council were also made aware of the situation, but did not intervene.
At the meeting, three representatives from Cala made a presentation on some of the details of their proposal, however due to a certain lack of clarity in the presentation, and the exclusion of interested parties with in-depth knowledge of the original application, few questions were raised.
District Councillor Nuala Webb and Terrie Smith, who are both ward councillors for Park Street, did attend.
Terrie said: “It would have been constructive for Greenbelt to have been given permission to contribute, since they have an in depth knowledge of the site.
“Refusing them access raises questions over the credibility of these meetings.”
Nuala was also concerned about the implications: “Refusing Greenbelt access cannot be regarded as a positive, or inclusive approach. The council either wants to receive genuine feedback from the public and residents groups, or they don’t.
“Excluding the one party that has represented the community on this scheme throughout its three year journey through planning, is short sighted and seriously undermines the pre-application engagement policy.”
A detailed planning application (reserved matters), will be submitted over the coming months where the public will once again be able to comment.
However, comments will only be invited on the details of the scheme, rather on whether the scheme will proceed, since the concept of building on this piece of Green Belt land was decided through the public inquiry held in September.
