AUCKLAND RISE: DEVELOPERS CAN APPEAL – BUT PEOPLE CAN’T Steve O’Connell highlights planning law flaw
Developers can appeal against a council’s refusal to grant planning permission for one of their projects – but people affected by a development cannot appeal if a council gives permission.
The imbalance of the planning regulations was highlighted in St John’s church, Auckland Road last Wednesday by GLA member for Croydon and Sutton Cllr Steve O’ Connell.
Cllr O’Connell (Con) who also represents Kenley ward on Croydon council, made his comments at a public meeting called by residents living on the Auckland Rise estate who are fighting plans by Croydon council’s Brick by Brick company to build ‘infill’ homes on the estate.
He explained that the managing director of Brick by Brick is a Croydon council officer.
“The proposed development will significantly change the future of your estate and I don’t think that’s right” he told the meeting.
Residents campaigner Rob Delapoer told the meeting that Croydon North MP Steve Reed (Labour) would also be speaking against the proposals when they are considered by a council planning committee – proposals which were expected to be announced early this week.
The meeting heard that two of the councilors for South Norwood ward in which the estate stands – Cllr Kathy Bee and Cllr Jane Avis – had both refused to have anything to do with residents objections.
“Kathy Bee had attended the original consultation meeting which a lot of you didn’t hear about. “At another meeting in June Kathy Bee had acted as cheerleader for it – it was something the council had to do and we should all be happy about it.
“It’s a terrible dereliction of their duty to represent us on the council but unfortunately that’s the reality.”
The ward’s other councilor Wayne Trakas-Lawlor is the current mayor and had to be impartial but was sympathetic to residents’ objections, the meeting heard.