Windmill Trading Estate given the go ahead by planning inspector
This afternoon, I received the news that the Planning Inspector had given the go-ahead for 212 residential units on the Windmill Trading Estate site in my ward Pollards Hill.
This is an issue that has been on-going in my ward for the past four years with the first plans submitted back in 2003. The current planning application went to an appeal that lasted eight days in total, it was one of the longest appeals in Merton for a long-time and the application generated near universal opposition on the proposals from over 200 residents. Over the time I've been a councillor, five public meetings with local residents have taken place many of which have been heated, the developers have unfortunately shyed away from meeting residents, only just before the inquiry did they decide to consult again with local residents, listening to local residents had been near to non-existent.
In terms of the whole report, I'm still reading through the document but from an initial read, Merton Council's case for refusal has been comprehensively rejected. Planning inquiries can go either was and unfortunately the outcome was not favourable to local residents. In terms of the outcome, the report also strikes a blow at the protection of employment land which was one of the key parts of the Merton UDP and part of the reason used for rejecting the application, likewise the new development will have a huge environmental impact on the local area both visually and in terms of the extra car journeys that will be produced by a development of this size. The development is also an eye-sore and will certainly not win design awards.
Naturally at this time I do feel upset at Merton not winning the inquiry, with residents I've fought this application and unfortunately we've been unsuccessful. One of those days, but I'll certainly be keeping a close watch on the developers that they comply with the conditions in the report.
This is an issue that has been on-going in my ward for the past four years with the first plans submitted back in 2003. The current planning application went to an appeal that lasted eight days in total, it was one of the longest appeals in Merton for a long-time and the application generated near universal opposition on the proposals from over 200 residents. Over the time I've been a councillor, five public meetings with local residents have taken place many of which have been heated, the developers have unfortunately shyed away from meeting residents, only just before the inquiry did they decide to consult again with local residents, listening to local residents had been near to non-existent.
In terms of the whole report, I'm still reading through the document but from an initial read, Merton Council's case for refusal has been comprehensively rejected. Planning inquiries can go either was and unfortunately the outcome was not favourable to local residents. In terms of the outcome, the report also strikes a blow at the protection of employment land which was one of the key parts of the Merton UDP and part of the reason used for rejecting the application, likewise the new development will have a huge environmental impact on the local area both visually and in terms of the extra car journeys that will be produced by a development of this size. The development is also an eye-sore and will certainly not win design awards.
Naturally at this time I do feel upset at Merton not winning the inquiry, with residents I've fought this application and unfortunately we've been unsuccessful. One of those days, but I'll certainly be keeping a close watch on the developers that they comply with the conditions in the report.
posted by Martin Whelton at 4:57 pm
1 Comments:
I think it is time to take Direct Action. Martin you must know most of those green rebels? Residents must be listened too.
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