H&F Council Cutting Corners Again (Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats)

Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats <info@hflibdems.org.uk>

H&F Council Cutting Corners Again

December 9, 2009 10:46 PM

Henrietta Bewley sees the trees and the wood on Goldhawk Road

Henrietta Bewley of H&F Lib Dems in Ashchurch Grove

Only days after H&F Council's decision to allow the destruction of the Goldhawk Industrial Estate was called in by the Secretary of State, our Council is once more accused of cutting corners in its eagerness to give developers a free ride in the Borough. Only this time the site is owned by the Council itself.

A planning application by property firm Places For People, to redevelop 282-286 Goldhawk Road, the site of a former old people's home, is going forward to a planning committee next week, with officers having already prepared their recommendations, despite the fact that the consultation period has not yet closed. The developers want to build 66 housing units, in 3 and 4 storey buildings between Ashchurch Park Villas and Ashchurch Grove.

"Quite apart from the merits of the application, it simply reflects a total disregard by the Tory Council for proper procedure as well as riding roughshod over the legitimate views of local residents" said Henrietta Bewley, Chair of H&F Lib Dems.

Protesters claim that over 300 letters have been sent about 282-286 Goldhawk Road, but the Council claims it only received 21 objections. However it has acknowledged that its notices were sent out with discrepancies in the closing dates for the consultation.

"It is totally unacceptable that the Planning Applications Committee meeting is being rushed into giving its consent to this development put forward by Council officers even before the consultation period has expired" says Merlene Emerson, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokeswoman. "This item should be withdrawn from the 16 December PAC meeting, and rescheduled to next year, when the objections that are still flowing in can be properly evaluated and considered"

The Ashchurch Residents Association say that the application itself is full of errors, an accusation similar to that made against the Goldhawk Estate application, which was passed despite vociferous opposition from residents groups and other concerned locals.

That decision is now being reviewed by the Secretary of State, but it seems the Council is determined to learn nothing, despite the "Dear Leader" telling us at the Quiz the Leaders meeting that "lessons needed to be learnt".