Windmill Trading Estate

An issue that has been on-going for a long time in my ward (currently three years) is a planning application for the Windmill Trading Estate. A public inquiry into another application that was turned down by the Council last year was due to be held on the 28th November; today I received the news that they had submitted another application for the site. This has no doubt been done in order to try and avoid for them the expense of the inquiry because if the Council approved this application they would withdraw the other application or if the existing application got rejected by the Planning Inspector they would have another one on the table.

The newly revised application is for 233 residential units between three and five storeys high (still too high in my view), it is clear that the development will consist primarily of flats given the number. As an application that started at around 300 units when first submitted in early 2004, it has been reduced but it still a high number given the layout of the site. A

I have consistently opposed previous applications, if the application is similar then I will also be opposing the latest application. I will be getting a copy of the plans shortly and will be consulting with local residents on the matter. Hopefully the developers may also decide to become more co-operative, as their attitude towards listening to views of local residents has previously been very poor. With it being August it was no doubt submitted deliberately at this time, as they know many residents are away and hoped that it would not be picked up on. Well I keep a close watch on these matters and residents will be fully informed on the application. I also hope to organise a public meeting on the matter along with my colleagues Zenia and Richard to discuss the issue.