Thursday, October 9, 2008

Call for Meeting delay

I have written to the Council today to ask that the planning meeting scheduled for 15th October to look at the Ashwell's CB1 station area redevelopment application should be delayed.

It has become clear following the public meeting on Tuesday to discuss the transport implications that there simply hasn't been enough time for the public to digest the huge volumes of information, some of which has only been available at a very late stage, and to comment on the final amendments that were only submitted by Ashwell's. These were only finalised at the end of September and are yet to be subject to a formal public consultation period.

3 comments:

Ruth said...

Hi Chris,

Not involved in this (thankfully!) but I'm very glad to see that you are trying to ensure proper scrutiny and democratic participation in a decision that is going to affect the whole city.

I see, too, that the planning meeting has been scheduled for a weekday morning - again, not exactly a way to ensure that local residents have the opportunity to participate.

Anyway, best of luck with it.

Ruth

Chris Howell said...

I fear there isn't going to be a chance to hold this outside working hours, as it is likely to last all day!

Ruth said...

Ah, yes, point taken! Taken together, though, putting out a huge report at the eleventh hour, for consideration at a meeting on a weekday morning which is being held neither near the application site nor in the city centre, doesn't look as if the council are exactly bending over backwards to ensure participation by concerned local people. Not the planning department's finest hour, perhaps.