South West Extension

[testing times]

I don't see this as anything but a done deal. Planning Officers know only too well that any rejection would lead to another appeal and another court cost for the taxpayer. That's what happens when you scrap a local plan and leave the town unprotected for 3 years.
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/d-day-for-1-200-home-development-in-hartlepool-1-7524656

[Hubris]

Now that Pickles has moved on to pastures new, the not so new guy (he was in that position some years ago....he's now returned) in the job of Minister of State for Communities and Local Government ....Greg Clark is proving to be just as tenacious as Eric in trying to keep local politicians and councillors honest and accountable. Not such a surprise given he's a straightforward 'Boro' lad from South Bank and from a family of stalwart milkmen. He made the best of his chances and went to study at Cambridge (where interestingly enough he became good pals with my son-in-law. They still keep in touch)
So using that connection and hoping he might take more of an interest in the truly unbelievable situation in our once proud town, I made him aware of the latest pantomime that passes for our Planning Strategy (I.e. - that the only strategy we have is built entirely on not having a strategy, and solidly on serving the vested interests of developers and all the suspicions that align with that odious scenario)
I have forwarded him a copy of the mail article about the SW development, and highlighted the very pertinent comments from FredC and Geoff Lilley.
Now the interesting bit!!
One of his junior underlings happened to be in the region this week (something up in Newcastle) so he's been asked to 'call-in' to the planning meeting tomorrow on his way back. Nothing official. Just attend incognito and have a 'sniff' at the atmosphere and procedure......and unofficially report back to Greg with his opinion.
Can't imagine it will result in anything of significance in the short-term, but maybe a small step in the right direction.

How many times does our Mob have to be reminded.......HARTLEPOOL DOESN'T NEED MORE HOUSES!! It needs the ones it has being better looked after. It needs to develop its many, many brownfield sites. It needs better and more honest service from it's elected members. It needs to focus on the town's best interests, and not bend- over and be  ravished by the grubby, self- serving, pocket-lining chancers that impact in such a tawdry way on 90K people.

[fred c]

I have to say.... this post is absolutely spot on, being a realist as most users of The Post are i am encouraged by the thought that this has been brought to Greg Clarks attention...... there are more ways to skin a cat that to attempt the official route & the intervention by Hubris may prove to be useful in alerting a higher power to the antices of The LabTor Mob.

The town has been sold down the river for years by a small band of vagabonds, they have by their despicable self serving actions filled their own pockets at the expense of all Hartlepudlians...

A Pox on the lot of them.

[Lord Elpus]

In my opinion any Planning process that involves elected members will always fail to be impartial.  Drummond realised this and wanted to change the process. 

The system was always flawed and suspect but since the addition of Wells, SAB and Mad Dog to the planning committee, in my opinion it has become farcical and in the eyes of many corrupt (one only has to read the Mail comments section to find evidence for this).  Senior Officers obviously struggle to work with such 'right knobs' and Hartlepool suffers for it. 

The sooner central Gov takes over HBC the better for all.

[for fawkes sake]

I think the word is out that the borough council's planning process has been thoroughly compromised. How could anyone who follows the behaviour of the local cabal seriously believe that planning applications are not discussed and decided upon in secret before the Planning Committee sits in so-called impartial judgement. In my view, the planning applications submitted by his friends are the sole reason Martin-Wells is a councillor.

[steveL]

The South West Extension application has just been voted through with a vote of 8 to 1. Only George Springer voted against.

[fred c]

The only way to look at it is..... It`s probably saved the council tax payers half a million in appeal costs.

Maybe we should all drop a note to Greg Clark cataloging the various reasons we have for concern about the LabTor Mob.... the more he receives the more he is likely to look into it.

greg.clark@communities.gsi.gov.uk

[angela]

The South West Extension application has just been voted through with a vote of 8 to 1. Only George Springer voted against.

Mr Wells and his two Conservative lapdogs will have been three of them I assume.

[Lord Elpus]

I attended the Planning Committee this morning, as I observed SAB sitting next to his Mam I was reminded of the theory that a child's intelligence is inherited through his mothers mitochondrial DNA.  Seems to be relevant in their case.

SAB got 106 monies to improve play provision in Manor House Ward.  Fens and Rossmere didn't get a mention.  I would if Jim Longbottom and Alan Clark will be challenging this, doubt it.

[Ste P]

Angela, ask any councilor other than Labour or Conservative councilors and they will say these decisions are agreed prior to the meetings and as long as they are to be of financial gain to each of them it will go through.

Only saying.   

[steveL]

SAB got 106 monies to improve play provision in Manor House Ward.  Fens and Rossmere didn't get a mention.  I would if Jim Longbottom and Alan Clark will be challenging this, doubt it.

Missed a trick there - all they had to do was to claim the whole scheme would become non-viable if the developer had to pay 106 money and they could have saved the money - or perhaps used it to pay someone's commission instead.

[not4me]

Play provision in Manor??

Can I suggest for efficiency reasons alone that any new playground equipment isn't bolted down. It will make it so much easier for the local rag-tags as they transport the lot to the nearest scrap dealer.

[marky]

I see SAB gets a swimming pool for Brierton out of this

[Land Phil]

The number homes requires a new secondary school not a swimming pool.

[Johnny Bongo]

Having read through at least 50% of the Planning Application (yeh, sad, I know!) there are a few things that could 'trip them up', mainly ecological! Maybe the local 'greens'/ friends of the earth/ etc, may wish to take up the reins and fight the developers/ HBC, thereby hopefully getting the plan scrapped! Funny thing is...many of the ecological regulations originate from the EU!  Wouldn't that be ironic!