Newsletter: Saturday 24 July 2010
Alfred Place Planning Application
Members of the Association may be aware we have been awaiting and enquiring about news of progress since slightly-revised plans for the proposed Alfred Place residential development were submitted to the Council for planning approval in February of this year (during January and February the Association had submitted an initial and supplementary set of comments to Planning and we drew these and allied developments to the attention of members in a special series of Newsletters, available on this website.
This week we established that a Planning Report on the Alfred Place proposals would be going to the Council’s Development Management Sub-Committee meeting on Wednesday 28 July. This 19-page Report then became publicly-available via the Council’s website around noon on Thursday 22 July. Mid-summer is, of course, not always the easiest time to deal with such matters, but we managed to convene an ad hoc meeting of the Blacket Association Committee on Thursday evening.
In essence, the Report from City’s Head of Planning recommends the granting of permission subject to what appear to us to be minimal requirements which do not take into account the sort of conditions the Association and a number of others had supported. If this Report is now treated as a ‘normal’ item of business and Planning’s recommendations are accepted by the Sub-Committee next Wednesday, the document is likely to be endorsed shortly afterwards by the full Planning Committee and the project will go ahead.
In these circumstances our Committee has, therefore, agreed to request our local Councillors to register a requirement there should be a formal presentation by Planning at the Sub-Committee meeting – and therefore a more detailed airing of what is being recommended. Also that, before a final decision is taken, a site visit should be arranged for members of the Sub-Committee so they may be fully aware of the environment and issues arising should permission be granted. We trust our local councillors will be agreeable to registering this request, which must be done by first thing Tuesday morning.
Our obvious hope remains that, given City Planning seems to have paid scant attention to the nearly 40 submissions made by the residents and relevant bodies such as the Blacket Association, some of the conditions for permission suggested by those who live in the area of the site may still be accepted.
With that aim in mind we have briefed the four local councillors (two of whom are member of the sub-Committee) accordingly and we shall, of course, keep in touch with members if there are any further significant developments.
NOTE: If you wish to consult the Report or indeed other documents relating to this planning application, they may be accessed on the Council’s website via the Planning Portal and Papers relating to the 28 July Meeting of the Development Management Sub-Committee OR in hard copy form via Planning enquiries desk at the Council Offices, Waverly Court, 4 East Market Street or via the Main reception desk at City Chambers in the High Street.
Ray Footman, Chairman BLACKET ASSOCIATION
Ian Carter, Secretary