[Bell Historians] Cornhill / CofE Accountability

[Peter Rivet]

In practice, if you ask the right questions you can find out who has
objected to a planning application.  And you can if need be demand to know
under the Freedom of Information Act anyway.

There is an important exemption for correspondence involving enforcement
matters - anything which has been done without planning permission/listed
building consent - because we do occasionally deal with back street garage
proprietors and the like who are capable of taking their displeasure out on
unfriendly neighbours.  But the file on a planning application is available
for the public to see.  At present, at my authority we don't put objectors'
letters on our web site as there is a legal issue involving publishing
people's signatures somewhere that allows them to be copied, but we aren't
trying to conceal their identities.

Peter Rivet

  -----Original Message-----
  From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Richard Offen
  Sent: 08 January 2008 14:12
  To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
  Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Cornhill / CofE Accountability


  > .... modern secular planning control procedures are transparent ....
  >
  >
  >
  > No, they are not. You try and get the names of those who have
  objected to a
  > planning application, so you can talk the matter over with them
  before the
  > matter goes to the local Planning Committees. You can't. Then you
  are at
  > the mercy of the personal tastes of members of the committee. The
  trouble
  > we had getting the dormer windows we wanted was unbelievable;
  despite other
  > houses in the area having dormer windows, 'velux' windows were
  considered
  > 'more appropriate' (and I am talking of a late 50's estate, not a
  > conservation area). Finally the committee refused to consider
  computer
  > simulations of the site.
  >
  > Planning Committees, bah, humbug.
  >
  > Anne
  >

  Exactly my experience too.

  I was told that the information about objectors to a planning scheme
  I was party to would be kept confidential to prevent "witch hunts"!

  R



  
           
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