Is town just a dumping ground for developments?

You may have noticed on page 21 of this noble organ two weeks ago, a piece headed Neighbours Relish Defeat Of ‘Intrusive’ Home Extension’. This was followed, on the Opinion page last week, by a letter from an aggrieved Mr Julian Ralph

The family Ralph had submitted plans for a car port, an additional bedroom and a garage conversion.

Their Park Farm neighbours in Conker Close made a submission to the planning committee through their spokesman, Joshua High, that the work would have a deleterious effect on their lives, on local parking and on Conker Close itself.

Cllr Tina Heyes popped along to have a look at things. She said that she had a problem parking, so she agreed with the ‘anti’ brigade.

Cllr Graham Galpin declared himself to be ‘uncomfortable’; said the thing was ‘intrusive and overdeveloped’.

Although the scheme apparently complied fully with planning regulations and had been okayed by the chaps in the planning department, the neighbours, backed by the two doughty councillors, won the day and the plan was thrown out.

It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the Ralphs’ plans – which in the grand scheme of things are pretty trivial and upsetting to only a few – should be denied through the agency

‘The fact that the scheme has been strongly opposed by a broad swathe of ratepayers seems to matter not a jot’

of a couple of councillors and a presentation by some neighbours?

Meanwhile, the abscess of a vast housing scheme which is intended to obliterate forever Chilmingon Green, an attractive area of open countryside, finds council approval.

The fact that the scheme has been strongly opposed by a broad swathe of ratepayers – who elect the councillors and foot the bill for their errors and omissions (including numerous fatuous consultancy fees such as the two commissioned, first to propose and then to reject, the aborted ‘covered market’ scheme) – seems to matter not a jot.

Of course, hardly any councillors live in the town, most coming from the rural areas which they would rightfully consider blighted by extensive house building.

Do you get a sense of ‘Dump it on Ashford, then it’ll leave our patch of this green and pleasant land alone’?