Small victory in defeat by Tesco
IT IS with mixed emotions that after nearly 20 years of campaigning, including council rejections, a formal appeal process and many iterations of the original plans, the Tesco proposal for the old Master Brewer site has been given the green light by LBH planners (Tesco and hotel on Brewer site, Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette, September 3).
Jill Dalton, the chairman of the Ickenham Residents’ Association, attended the major planning meeting on Tuesday and, on behalf of the residents of Ickenham, read out a petition highlighting our ongoing concerns, but the planning committee felt the latest proposal was finally acceptable.
Although we still believe there will be increased traffic associated with the new store, the residents of Ickenham can gain comfort from the fact that as a result of their mandate to object to the store, changes have been made to the size and appearance of the store and hotel as a result.
The latest proposal now has a smaller store and hotel, improved site layout for access and parking and some soft landscaping, and includes changes to the local highway network and traffic light timings at Hillingdon Circus. they think very seriously whether they want substance or celebrity and remind them all that, for many decades past, the seat has had the benefit of stable representation from two very humble, steady MPs, and it’s been the person not the party that has ensured a Conservative MP remains in situ.
It would be folly not to select councillor David Simmonds.
Not only has David dedicated much of his career to public life, he has in-depth knowledge of the area, its people and the issues affecting everyone, something no other non-resident candidate will possess.
He is also familiar with the workings of the local authority, and that’s extremely invaluable if your MP wants to truly represent the people.
It is long overdue, but if the Conservative Party is serious about securing an overall majority at the next election, it should start by selecting candidates who understand their local demographic; the practice of parachuting friends in to an area encouraging ‘high profile’ celebrity candidates should be stopped.
Voters are not stupid and rarely fall for such tactics.
The response that I received to this matter from one council department was that the council uses the Royal Mail address system to define locations.
A peculiarity of the postal system does use Pinner as an address for some parts of the Eastcote area, but the two roads in question are in Northwood Hills ward and this, or perhaps Eastcote, designates their proper location within the borough.
It seems totally incorrect for official council notices to locate roads or any of its topographical features by using names of areas that are not within the borough.
The council should not be guided by the Royal Mail address system which suits their own postal operations and ignores political boundaries.