 | News from East Cambridgeshire District Council Planning Committee - 6 May 2009 |
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MORE TRANSPARENCY IN PLANNING DECISIONS
In the face of strong opposition from the Liberal Democrats, East Cambs Conservative District Councillors this week voted to abandon the Planning Review Panel. In our view it was an unacceptable barrier and in particular to householders wishing to bring disputed planning applications before the full planning committee and a quite deplorable breakdown in the democratic process.
The Review Panel was established during the term of the last Council to speed up the planning process and was deeply unpopular with Parish Councils and other bodies who were excluded from these meetings.
Under the new regime, anyone with an objection to a recommendation made by Planning Officers may now ask their Ward Councillor to bring the case before the full planning committee - a public meeting at which all interested parties my have their say. There will be no intermediary hurdle to surmount before this can happen.
If the Committee votes against Officers' recommendations on householder applications, the reason for this must be recorded in the minutes at that same meeting and will be the only evidence used if an appeal to the High Court follows.
CANDLES IN THE WIND
There is a happy man in Witchford this week. Objections from neighbours were over-ruled and he has the go-ahead to erect a 12 metre high wind turbine on land at the back of his home. And why not? He cares about the planet and the legacy he will leave behind for his children.
However, his neighbours have a valid point: a proliferation of single house turbines could be a very unattractive blot on our landscape. Furthermore the science behind the technology is unproven and the economics suspect.
These are all very valid reasons for public concern, and we consider it essential that firm planning guidelines on the siting of wind turbines be instigated as soon as possible. Officers have therefore been charged with producing a draft policy for public consultation. What do you think about wind power?
SAFETY ISSUES SURROUND TRANSPORT OF STRAW
Cambridgeshire is privileged in having one of very few straw burning power stations in Europe, situated next to the village of Sutton, near Ely. Although a reassuringly 'green' means of power generation, the transportation of straw to feed the furnace poses environmental problems of its own.
Huge trucks transport this raw material from a disturbingly wide area and some straw laden lorries have to pass through nearby villages, including Haddenham and Sutton, and on un-netted loads, strewing straw in their wake.
Conditions relating to the power station planning permission required loads to be netted but for the Council this has been impossible to enforce. Health & Safety has also ruled that it is too dangerous for drivers to climb on top of a load to net the straw, so the condition has been withdrawn.
However consultation with management at the power station has revealed that alternative routes are possible for a lot of the lorries supplying the power station and they have agreed to instruct drivers accordingly and will be monitoring movements closely.
The Liberal Democrat opposition is calling for the Council to introduce more stringent controls, but with no thought as to how these could be enforced.
We have opted to take the management at their word and let them sort out the problem as they claim they can.
11th May 2009
 
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