Planning Applications for Full Council Determination

It's likely to get lost with all the media circus we expect on Thursday because of the CPO vote, but the last item on the agenda is also important.

The new planning legislation mandates certain types of application, National and Major contrary to the development plan, to be determined by Full Council  There appear to be two of these current - the Buchan incinerator and an application for a brewery and associated development on the outskirts of Potterton. 

There will be pre-determination hearings for each of these to which all 68 councillors will be invited.  It will be an interesting sight to see a hearing with 68 councillors able to ask questions of applicant, objectors and supporters.  I suspect for some applications caught by these new rules, there may be more councillors than those wishing to be heard!

Now I am no fan of the changes - I hate rules set by central government unless strictly necessary - and am keen to keep planning decisions local.  But given the new rules imposed, one suggestion for Thursday concerns me.  It is proposed that the local Area Committee should "make arrangements for  .... the separate articulation of any Area Committee observations."  Now I think that is a problem: we are told not to make our views of applications known in advance of the meeting to determine the application - so how can we make "observations".

I do believe the local members views are important - but the mechanism proposed is a problem.

2 comments:

  1. As you and your anti Compulsory purchase supporters go into tomorrows debate

    How about a 21 Century take on the 'Declaration of Arbroath'

    which has inspired countless die hards through the ages and is enshrined in the scottish psyche to take up the fight against the oppressor

    Modern Day Declaration to the council

    An American Tycoon came to the Menie when the people living there harboured no malice or treachery and were unused to threats and intimidation. He came in the guise of a friend and ally and yet he harassed them as an enemy. He prevented access to the beaches in spite of there being a right to roam, he threaten to pull out whenever anyone opposed the scheme he wouldn't alter his plans to preclude a SSSI he cajoled the Scottish Government promising housing wealth and jobs and he accused local politicians and reported them to the authorities finally he threatened ordinary people with Compulsory Purchase and forced eviction if they didn't sellout to him, these are the outrages which he committed against our people, sparing neither age nor sex, nor rank.

    Yet if the council should give up and agree to make us or our property subject to this son of America, we should exert ourselves at once to drive him out as our enemy and a subverter of his own rights and ours, for, as long as but a few of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under tyrannical rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom -- for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.

    Therefore it is up to the council and government of Scotland to think upon the troubles and privation brought by this American Tycoon on the families of the Menie estate and admonish and exhort this man, who ought to be satisfied with what belongs to him since he has enough land and wealth for his purpose, to leave us Scots in peace, who live in our little part of Scotland, beyond which there is no dwelling-place at all, and covet nothing but our own.

    This truly concerns the council and government of Scotland as you know how much it will tarnish their memory. It is not we who hold up the development No The real reason that prevents them from making progress is that they are too busy making war on their smaller neighbours in order to find quicker profit and weaken resistance. But how cheerfully we would go about our business if this American tycoon would leave us in peace.

    But if the Council and Government put too much faith in the tales the Tycoon tells and will not give sincere belief to all this, nor refrain from favouring them to our prejudice, then the eviction from homes, the perdition of souls, and all the other misfortunes that will follow, inflicted by them on us, will we believe, be surely laid to your charge standing as a testimony against you.

    To conclude, we are and shall ever be, as far as duty calls us, ready stand in the face of opression strong in the faith that Justice will inspire us and with courage we will bring our enemies to nought.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As far as I understand the changes to the planning system came about as a result of the Trump fiasco. The Scottish Gov used this opportunity to sneak these changes through. Powers are increasingly being removed from local Area Committees. Wait and see the shock and horror when area committees fully realize what's happened - There is much opposition to the incinerator in Buchan but elected members are now pretty much powerless to represent the people that elected them. A full Council decision loses sight of people as individuals. It's very sad what's happening here in the NE.

    ReplyDelete

I am happy to address most contributions if they are coherent. Comments with a constructive contribution to make to the discussion, even if it is critical will be posted.

Please do not add comments in the name of real people unless you are that person.

The views expressed in comments are those of the poster, not me.