BIG PICTURE
constitutional accountability required of cabinet members.
This is a sad betrayal of residents who signed the petition and the unanimity of members
PLANNING ‘FREE FOR ALL’
AS a member of Cheshire East’s local plan panel and planning committees for some years, I write regarding letters in the press about housing and the Cheshire East local plan.
The Labour/ Independent coalition abandoned a completed ‘phase 2 local plan’ consultation, celebrating this as a ‘reduction in allocated housing sites’.
Regrettably, whilst we’ve been waiting for movement on this second phase, there has been a number of planning committee refusals leading to successful appeals for applications that complied with regulations - approved by the inspector because there were no refusal grounds.
This adds delay and possible cost (funded by the tax-payer).
We were told that the coalition’s new consultation would provide ‘a position of strength’ and not risk a ‘free for all’.
Sadly, it seems that ‘planning free for all’ is upon us.
The coalition continues to complain about the supposed ‘chaos’ of the 2017 approved local plan. Or do they?
The press release of August 24 quotes council leader Sam Corcoran (Labour) and Independent cabinet member for planning Toni Fox saying: “Cheshire East has embraced the need to deliver appropriate levels of housing across the borough with a target of 36,000 homes over the plan period to 2030.”
These are the same targets approved and delivered by the Conservative administration in 2017, vehemently opposed by these same coalition members.
The coalition compound this ‘about face’ when they state: “For the last two years, Cheshire East has seen more than 3,000 housing completions – the highest figures ever recorded in Cheshire East.
“This council has a very robust housing land supply and is on target to deliver that housing in a planned and sustainable manner in accordance with our adopted local plan strategy.” We’re delighted with the coalition’s accolades for the Conservative 2017 local plan and hope that the coalition’s phase 2, when it’s finally revealed later this month, is equally robust and deemed fit for purpose at inspection.
Councillor Lesley Smetham
Gawsworth