Tag Archives: planning

Local politicians to be stitched up

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The government looks set fair to ensure that local politicians of all persuasions carry the can for the housing shortage in this country.  Having removed the regionally imposed housing number requires, to a great hurrah from the Party faithful in the more affluent areas of the country, ministers are now saying that it is up to councils to convince the locals that development is good for them.  See the quote from one of Greg Clark’s bag carriers below. 

Developers will be allowed to build “what they like, where they like” if councils fail to give permission for sufficient new housing schemes, a Conservative MP has said.  John Howell, parliamentary private secretary to minister for decentralisation Greg Clark, warned that if councils failed to plan for new development, it would be assumed that they had a “completely permissive planning system”.  As a result, he said a developer could build “what they like, where they like and when they like”, as long as they meet new national planning standards that are being worked on alongside the Localism Bill.

He stressed that the government’s new planning system aimed to lead to more development, not less development.

The new government obviously learnt at least one lesson during their time in opposition.  Simply setting housing numbers doesn’t mean houses get built.  Also, because these housing numbers were set regionally, it made it appear to be the government’s fault.  they weren’t going to have that.  Afterall, there were plenty of other things they were in line to be blamed for that they wouldn’t be able to pass the buck for, without taking the blame for this as well!

Enter Baldrick (or should we call him Pickles in order to bring it up to date) with a cunning plan.  Why not scrap the government imposed figures, whilst at the same time cutting the local government grant, top slicing what’s left and then only giving them that bit back if they build more houses – Brilliant!   Not only does this get the housing deficit off of our backs, it also well and truly sticks it to local government, that I never liked anyway – Double brilliant!!

Pinchbeck Road/Woolram Wygate junction

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The County Council Highways Dept has agreed with the two developers that they would issue the necessary Orders themselves, rather that the highways dept, directly to the various Utility Companies (water, gas, electricity, telephone) for the works required to relocate or protect their underground services, mainly on Woolram Wygate.

The two developers delayed the issue of those Orders until they had their planning permissions in place, which was understandable, as any delay in gaining planning permission would probably have meant that any Orders that were already in place would of run out of their time limit.  The successful outcome for the applications at the Development Control Committee meeting on 5 January 2011,  means that both developers have now commenced arrangements for the issue of the Orders.

A programme period for the work required once the services are moved etc, has been produced, but the start point for this will depend on when the Utilities works are completed.

Initially, it was hoped that all the Utilities works would be finished before the 2011 Flower Parade, so that the remaining works could start soon after the Flower Parade.  However, this may need to be revised, dependant upon the requirements and constraints of the Utility Companies and how the remaining work can be fed in to work schedule of the County council’s road works contractor.

Check out the Conservative group website for more news about Spalding Wygate ward http://southhollanddcconservativegroup.co.uk/3818/welcome