Concern over the planning procedures; VIEWPOINTS.I REFER to the letter from Dennis Harkus ("Experts aren't always right!", Viewpoints, November 18) and I am also concerned with the way planning permission planning permission Noun formal permission granted by a local authority for the construction, alteration, or change of use of a building planning permission n → licencia de obras has been granted for house building on the land to the east of Pencoedtre Lane, Barry. The chairman of the county council's planning committee planning committee n (in local government) → comité m de planificación , Rhoose County Councillor Jeffrey James, expressed complete confidence with his planning officials when he stated that: "It is difficult to oppose it when the officers who are experts have advised that we pass it." Councillors should learn the lesson from Cemetery Approach, which is a good example of how experts can get it wrong. But there are also some other worrying things about this story. The application for outline planning permission indicates that county council planning officials had, at meetings on December 12, 2007, and January 15, 2008, "agreed in principle to the change of use to residential", almost two years before the report went to planning committee. Accepting Coun James' beliefs that the expert's advice should be accepted means that the decision was effectively taken well before the consultation process even started. Barry Town Council, a statutory consultee, agreed to raise strong objections but that was 12 months after the "experts" had given their approval to the change of use. I understand that the recommendation of council officials is required to be in accordance Accordance is Bible Study Software for Macintosh developed by OakTree Software, Inc.[] As well as a standalone program, it is the base software packaged by Zondervan in their Bible Study suites for Macintosh. with the Development Plan, yet that plan identified this land for non-housing purposes. Local people will also be aware that the Vale of Glamorgan County Council is one of the very few Welsh councils that will not allow third party representation at planning committee meetings. Council politicians need to have some doubt with officials, especially when the leaders tell them it is difficult to oppose their experts' advice. If some of them are reluctant to challenge council officials, they should allow members of the public to do it for them. Councillor Keith Lewis Keith D'Andre Lewis (born on October 20, 1981 in Sacramento, California) is a safety in the NFL. He went to the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 6th round (198th overall) in 2004 NFL Draft. Lewis is superb special teams player. Chairman of Planning, Barry Town Council |
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