An article in the Evening News reported last week that Broadland District Council had recommended for approval plans to build 600 new homes on farmland near Dussindale as well as an extension to the nearby Broadland Business Park at the same site. However, the following announcement has now been spotted on BDC's website:
Planning Committee Meeting 8th September
Application Number: 20090886
Land at Brook Farm & Laurel Farm, Green Lane, Thorpe St Andrew
This application has been deferred on the grounds that Natural England consider that the requirements of the Habitats Regs. have not yet been met because it has not been demonstrated to their satisfaction that the proposal will not have an adverse impact upon designated European sites (i.e. The Broads).
Legal advice has been sought and the Council has been strongly advised that if the Planning Committee determine the application prior to the resolution of this matter it will lay this Council open to a challenge by way of a judicial review. Consequently, it is concluded that there is no other option but to withdraw the application from the agenda.
There are many objections to these proposals including Thorpe St Andrew Town Council, CPRE and Norfolk Police and also some questions arising from some of the original research work concerning Environmental Health (Pollution) which appeared to be all desk research without even a site visit. According to the Evening News article BDC officers even admitted that "a reduced package of financial contributions to community facilities is on the table, and the proposed 155 affordable homes is, at 24%, well below the 40% figure usually sort." However, BDC were quiet happy to plough on in their usual fashion and attempt to push these plans through until advised to the contrary by their legal advisers.
What I'd like to know is, why did Phil Courtier (BDC's Head of Development) say: "We have worked hard to try to address Natural England's concerns but despite our best efforts I now consider that this issue will not be resloved..."
ReplyDeleteI had always imagined that it was the Local Planning Authority's job to assess planning applications fairly and impartially - not to set out from a predetermined position in favour of the application. It is, surely, up to the applicant to deal with any objections they are aware will be raised before submitting their application - not the LPA's? Or have I got it all wrong?
Why is it that BDC continually get away with acting on behalf of private developers while ignoring the people they are supposed to be acting on behalf of, ie: the public?