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Fury at Moss meeting
FURIOUS neighbours have launched a protest after planning bosses approved proposals to build hundreds of homes on Marton Moss.
Residents shouted "shame on you" when Conservative councillors on Blackpool Council's development control committee gave their seal of approval for more than 550 homes to be built on the site.
The scheme, proposed by Kensington Developments, has been opposed by locals who fear the loss of one of Blackpool's green areas and the impact on the surrounding area.
It has also been shrouded in controversy after Conservative councillor and Blackpool South parliamentary candidate Ron Bell accepted two donations worth a total of 10,000 from Kensington Developments for his election campaign fund.
Despite the cash being paid back it forced the Tory council to remove all Blackpool South councillors from the committee sitting at the planning hearing to avoid any suggestions of impropriety.
Nevertheless Conservative members spoke out in favour of the scheme, following the recommendation of planning officers who said the scheme would help meet Government housing targets.
Now, Angelia Hinds, from the Save Our Moss group, has hit out at Blackpool Council for its official minutes of the meeting.
There is no account of speeches by Mrs Hinds and her ward councillor, Jean Kenrick, who spoke against the development but a huge list of the comments of council planning officer Tim Brown, she claims the minutes appear "biased."
In a letter to council chief executive Steve Weaver, she said: "The minutes produced do not correctly reflect the progress of the meeting, or what was said by many individuals.
"I spoke for exactly three minutes, Coun Kenrick spoke for at least 10 minutes and the meeting was recorded as lasting for 92 minutes, but only the verbatim words of Mr Brown are contained.
"I'm afraid this can only lead me to assume they have been compiled in such a way as to allow the departing head of planning, to convey his views, and only his, to Government Office North West, to who they will have been forwarded."
A spokesman for Blackpool Council said it had received Mrs Hinds' letter and would look into the issue.
Government Office North West will now make the final decision on the scheme, planned for land Moss House Road, on behalf of the Secretary of State.
The protest group will continue their fight.
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Weather for Blackpool
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
