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Fury as Moss plan 'rubber stamped'
CAMPAIGNERS have reacted angrily after their hopes a controversial planning application would go back before councillors were dashed.
Blackpool Council has now formally issued Kensington Developments with planning permission to build 584 homes on land off Moss House Road on Marton Moss.
It follows a decision by the Secretary of State last month not to intervene in the planning process after the scheme was referred to regional government.
That meant the council's decision in March to approve the application stood – but objectors had hoped it would go back before the development control committee because since then the new Government has scrapped house-building targets. But a letter has now been sent out confirming the decision.
Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden said: "It's an absolute disgrace an important issue like this should be rubber-stamped by officers without being referred back to the development control committee.
"Since they made their decision in March, everything has changed in terms of planning and government. The council said it was only going ahead with the Marton Moss development because it had to reach Regional Strategy targets but these strategies have now been scrapped."
Elva Knott, of the Save Our Moss group, said: "The council hasn't listened to the wishes of the majority of people, not just from around here but from all over Blackpool.
"I cannot believe the council is willing to go on losing green space in this manner when it is so valuable."
Mr Marsden said he would now be investigating the possibility of a judicial review of the council's decision, and would bring the issue up in Parliament.
John Donnellon, assistant director for planning at Blackpool Council, said: "The application was referred to Government Office but they decided there would be no intervention. The committee had agreed the application in principle at its meeting on March 25.
"The legal agreements are all now in place which means the council can formally issue the planning consent."
Blackpool Council leader Coun Peter Callow has previously warned that if the decision was changed, Kensington could appeal which could be costly to the council.
Kensington has said it hopes to start building work in October.
Commuted sums, which are paid by developers to compensate for the loss of open space, totalling 9m will be received from the company. Coun Callow has said this money could be used to provide social housing in other parts of the borough. The Marton Moss scheme has been shrouded in controversy ever since Kensington made a 10,000 donation to the Blackpool South Conservative Association.
An investigation by the Standards Board for England found Coun Ron Bell, who in May lost his battle to become MP for Blackpool South, contravened the code of conduct for councillors, but ruled out punishing him and said asking for donations "was not improper".
The cash was returned.
Earlier this month Kensington's scheme for 1,150 homes on land off Queensway was thrown out by Secretary of State Eric Pickles.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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