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ivan burit · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:09 pm Post subject: planning farce

"If the planning guidelines were actually interpreted correctly by our overpaid planning officers, we would not see half the mess that we are all currently suffering".

Reciently i had to attend a planning enquiry, at Weeley`s council chamber, officiated over by the Secretary of States inspector.
we had planning on one side of the table, the applicants (apealee`s ?) on the other.

It was like chaos.............

planning had to keep running down stairs to his office, to keep returning with different sets of plans, to answer the inspectors questions....

I would have thought that a planning inquiry, pressided over by a secretary of states inspector, TDC`s own planning officers would have the brains to go equiped with the very plans of the property at the center of the inquiry..........

was it TDC`s version of jeans for genes day....dumb for dumbers day, it looked like........

_________________
In truth we seek,In truth we learn,In Tendering,We get neither..

pepsi · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 161

I once attended a planning meeting at Weeley in order to put a case for rejection of a development on behalf of the affected residents.

The agent of the developer [a major name] then put the case for the development, and the planning committee discussed amongst themselves and were on the verge of rejecting the application.

I was absolutely amazed when the Planning Officer then proceeded to make a case for the development. By the time he had finally finished putting the case, which included dire warnings of costly appeals that the council would have to fund, he had scared the committe so much that they decided to accept the application.

I have since found that this is quite a common ploy used by TDC planning officers.

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

There was one famous case where TDC actually in camera instructed council what outcome he should deliver, this he subsequently did. Impartiality Ha Ha!

When it got to the High Court only then did they believe their opposition that the opposition had the very document in their possession.

TDC lost the case but no one was punished for what was a blatant breach, one planning officer was moved to Maldon I believe from memory, but retained hios post effectively.

TDC wasted £20K of ratepayers money over this and on behalf of a firm of builders that are strong enough to fight their own corner.

EssexGurl · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 222

The things I could tell you that have been said by David Lines about planning. Its fair to say that he aint impressed with it and has even suggested that it could be outsourced. Might make it fairer.

pepsi · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 161

EG, under no circumstances would it be fairer if it was outsourced.

One of the problems we have now is that our planning decisions are being made by planning officers who do not live in the area and I am sure David Lines would love to get it outsourced.

What we need is a complete clean up in the Planning Office, Councillors who have integrity and are honest [I know that may seem a pipe dream but I do think there are still people out there who believe in traditional values such as public service, maybe they just have not stood for council yet Smile

], and above all planning officers and councillors who live in this area and care about it.

We are already seeing a form of outsourcing, just look at the number of planning applications which are delegated to the planning officers, more faceless jobs worth deciding what goes on in our areas would be the last thing we would need.

David Lines is simply trying to negate his obligations because he does not have the guts to deal with what is going on in our planning dept. and outsourcing it will give him the opportunity to blame someone else without tarnishing his Alliance.

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

Outsourcing is really just another word for privatisation.

Bad management is the source of the trouble at TDC.

EssexGurl · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 222

Actually the arguement for outsourcing this one particular service was convincing. It has been suggested that the level of corruption was such that it made it impossible for proper and fair decisions to be made. The fact that those in charge know there is corruption is good....but the problem is that they need solid proof to get it sorted and at the moment those who are corrupt are very good at covering their tracks.

pepsi · Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 161

If those that are in charge know there is corruption then they are failing in their duty and their positions if they do not make any attempt to stop it.

Stop delegating anything except the most minor decisions to Planning Officers, have honest people on the Council Development Committee [remember corruption is not limited to one particular level], ensure that the planning laws are implemented correctly.

Currently, the planning dept. is running things as they please because some members of the development committee are happy to let them [wonder why].

The latest casualty of this will now be Clacton Animal Aid, and what is the betting that as soon as the council have managed to close them down, you will see a mass of new development on that site.

An a slightly different note, I have noticed that a development company called Lamaid is putting in a lot of applications for small developments in back gardens or knocking down nice houses in order to put flats etc. on the sites around Tendring, they seem to specialise mainly in the Frinton/Holland/Clacton area. This company is based in Frinton, does anyone have any idea who it's directors etc. are ?

ivan burit · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:16 pm Post subject:

For a start try.....Lamaid Estates

Contact: John Spencer, 01255 851233
_________________
In truth we seek,In truth we learn,In Tendering,We get neither..

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