Summary
CHELTENHAM'S new Green Space Strategy fell at the first hurdle when permission was granted to destroy the Dunalley Wildlife Garden in order to build a new facility for St Vincent's Care Centre.
The land involved is undoubtedly the most sensitive and significant green site in Cheltenham, both in its location adjoining the town's premier listed park and in its nature and content. That the Liberal Democrat members of the planning committee should vote en bloc in favour of the development is incomprehensible and renders not only the new strategy but all policies, national and local, formed to protect and enhance such green spaces within the urban framework, totally impotent. Their stated reasons for doing so simply do not hold water and lead one to question their motivation. They argue that to refuse this application would inevitably result in a less acceptable development taking place sooner or later. This is simply not the case. The power to grant planning permission rests with Cheltenham Borough Council, regardless of ownership, which is bound only to permit a development deemed suitable for the site. Bearing in mind this site's unique setting and sensitivity, such a solution may simply not be achievable. They further argue that English Heritage could find no fault with the proposal despite an apparent failure to visit the site to properly assess the impact of the proposed buildings and despite the council's own professional expert advisers together with Cheltenham Civic Society strongly condemning the application and urging refusal. Despite repeated instructions both from the committee solicitor and the chairman to stick to purely planning considerations, the arguments put forward were more often than not spurious and emotive.See the full content of this document
Extract
Serious Doubts About Guardians ; Letters
The whole ...
See the full content of this document
Sponsored links
