Concerns as Amazon plan chief quits council
CAMPAIGNERS fighting the controversial Amazon development earmarked for land close to the M62 at Scholes say they have ‘major concerns’ as the senior council planner handling the project gets set to leave the authority.
Kate Mansell, who was appointed group leader for development management at Kirklees Council last summer, is understood to be exiting on May 24. She will be replaced by her colleague Victor Grayson.
Her departure has been greeted with apprehension by objectors campaigning against the massive development – set to be a fulfilment centre on 59 acres of farmland – as Ms Mansell has been their primary contact.
There are now fears that the project, for which a consultation period runs until the end of May and which is set to come to committee sometime in July, may put added pressure on Kirklees Council.
A public drop-in exhibition and information sharing event is to take place at Gomersal Park Hotel in Gomersal on May 26 from 3.30pm to 7.30pm. A spokesperson for campaign group Save Our Spen, which has been vociferous in its objection against the Amazon plan, said: “We have major concerns regarding her departure.
“Kate has been involved with the pre-application process through to where we are now.
“This is such a massive planning application and is obviously extremely controversial.
“There are so many issues arising from the application that don’t just affect the local community but also the whole of Kirklees and neighbouring councils.
“Kate has not just been involved in dealing with the applicants but also other agencies such as National Highways.
“It places great pressure on her replacement to be in a position of being fully informed prior to him providing his recommendation report to the planning committee.
“This cannot be rushed through and Save our Spen will be making every effort to ensure the new case officer is fully briefed on all the issues.”
Those concerns were echoed by local councillors. Clr John Lawson (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) asked how Kirklees Council could ensure that ‘all the knowledge of the application’ was properly transferred.
He added: “Are we looking at consultants here? How will the council manage the workload?”
Clr Martyn Bolt (Con, Mirfield) said Ms Mansell would be ‘a loss to the council.’
He said: “She is an officer who has always been approachable and able to respond directly and with candour, which is welcome in the planning service.”
He said the team of which Ms Mansell was a part handled some of the largest planned developments in the borough including the Dewsbury Riverside and Chidswell housing schemes.
He added: “The key is about capacity in Kirklees and making sure that all major planning is managed efficiently. The major development team in planning has been running at below capacity for a while, and that has put strain on achieving everything.”
The Examiner asked Kirklees Council to clarify how Ms Mansell’s departure might affect the Amazon proposal.
The authority said it was not able to comment on the status of an individual member of staff.