Borough-wide panel is unfit for planning

The decision by the Royal Borough Development Management Panel to refuse the creation of a community centre at Ruddlespool is welcome but highlights why a borough-wide panel is not fit for purpose.

Opposition to the planning application was led by the West Windsor Residents Association, Oakley Green and Fifield Residents Association, Willows Residents, Maidenhead Road residents and the Windsor and Eton Society, yet four councillors from outside the region chose to ignore their wishes and vote in favour of ignoring officers recommendations and grant permission for the Islamic community centre to be built in a residential area.

We had a farcical situation of Cllr Geoff Hill making his judgement based on the contents of a map rather than local knowledge.

It is time to end this shameful underrepresentation of local residents and introduce a Windsor Town Council as soon as possible to close this clear democratic deficit and emancipate local people.

RICHARD ENDACOTT Kingsfield

Windsor