There is a very important meeting of the planning committee in Bath today (Wednesday) with two very controversial proposals on the agenda.
Will they give permission for the old Min to be turned into a hotel and give the green light to the multi-million-pound refurbishment and strengthening scheme to prevent the Grade 11 * listed Cleveland Bridge falling into the river it spans.
Both plans have attracted many objections. I am out and about a little later this post-storm morning to talk about the issues.
This seems a good place to add an email from Bath Newseum regular Patricia Fosbury.
“Dear Richard,
I really look forward to your near-daily offerings through the Bath Newseum. What I don’t like reading is other reports like this (from the Bath Echo):
Wildlife lover hits out at “tycoon property developers” over hospital hotel plans
Is the planning department only motivated by greed? Does it ever listen to the residents who take the trouble to comment on plans? There are several planned developments near where I live on Bath Riverside where the guiding principle seems to be to squash as many living units in as possible whilst paying scant regard to the quality of life, green space etc.; it makes me weep. If Living Guild get their newest plan (for the Homebase site) given the green light by the council despite numerous and well-founded objections, I think we can all despair.”
ALL comments on anything l say are welcome. Please try and use the Comments Section underneath the actual item on http://www.bathnewseum.com so your thoughts are instantly added!
Well said Patricia, Residents in Edward Street, Lower Weston raised lots of good objections to a proposal and the stupid Planning Committee ignored them all and passed a ridiculous development in a Conservation Area.
The planning department is motivated primarily by the law. Planners can rule only on what developers propose. If they reject plans without good reason a developer can go to appeal and the decision will then be taken by a government-appointed inspector with B&NES paying the costs. The current government has weakened the powers of local planning authorities while also cutting funding. Planners aren’t perfect but nor are they the bogeymen (and women).