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We need
right to appeal bad planning decisions
• JOHN Kleeman (Something rotten at the heart of planning,
Jan 26) was right to point out the deficiency in Camden planning
and suggest that third party appeals seem to be the only way
forward. He also suggests we use our vote to fight bad decision
making.
I would invite him, therefore to name and shame the six Labour
councillors who voted, sheep-like, for a large private house
on the Vale of Health encroaching on Metropolitan Open Land.
This, against massive local opposition. Shame on them.
Unless we can trust our councillors to protect the best interest
of the residents, without fear of suspicious deals being made
with private developers behind our backs, our shaky belief in
the planning system will evaporate totally.
With the Dalby Street application and the Vale of Health recent
decisions one can only wonder what was going through the mind
of the planners and our councillors when residents needed to
be listened to.
It’s the residents who have to live with the consequences
forever when such an ill-informed, incompetent decision is taken.
A blow against the environment in the Vale of Health has a ripple
effect that harms us all, as once again we observe and perverse
planning decision.
If you, councillors, do not know how to judge a project effectively,
please do us a favour and abstain. After all, applicants always
have a right of appeal to the Minister when planning applications
are not determined in due time.
These appeals are conducted by competent, independent planning
inspectors who can judge an application on its merits and according
to the law. They report directly to the Minister.
Winston Spencer
Castle Road, NW1
• Camden planning is so ramshackle these days. They
probably think they can get away with anything. I am delighted
therefore to read in your January 26 issue that the Heath and
Hampstead society, the Vale of Health Society and Hampstead
conservation area advisory committee are to join force to challenge
in court the decision by the planners to grant permission to
build a massive home in the Vale of the Health.
The latter will encroach the Metropolitan Open Land.
This will undoubtedly be an important decision, which will affect
all of us for ever after. In the meantime, however, what happens
to an impoverished area like Kentish Town?
An injudicious decision has obviously been made on what Councillor
Gerry Harrison called an “extremely suspect” application
at the Dalby site. This is a seven-storey, 55 flat scheme which
will encroach on public land and the Talacre open space.
People there do not have the means to go to open court to get
justice. The public is cheated by a local government and planning
department who simply do not seem to give a damn about the interest
of Camden residents.
Isn’t it time that third party appeals be introduced in
this country so that mistakes in law could be rectified with
a minimum account of fuss and expense (this application usually
costs only a few hundred pounds elsewhere.)
For those not familiar with this system, disgruntled residents
can have any planning decision reconsidered by an independent
inspector. Such a fair and democratic system is not however,
likely to happen under Labour.
Residents suffer the consequences of bad planning decisions
for ever after.
Mildred Thomas
Denning Road, NW3 |
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