Heartless developers with designs on a quick profit
Echo 26 August 2008, Letters page, from Anna Waite

[Editor's note - this letter is about developments in Southend, but we have included it here as it is also relevant to Basildon, where we have the added problem of not just greedy developers but also incompetent councillors]

I MUST respond to the article about the planning inspectorate's decision for the Tower Radio Site, Rochford Road, Southend (Echo, August 18).
   So what price is there on local democracy? Councillors who sit on the development control committee of Southend Council do so to represent the wider views of the town.
   Officers make recommendations based upon the adopted policies. But members have a perfect right to go against the officer recommendation if they believe the application is not in the interests of the town or the street, or if there some doubt, where maybe an application does not conform to policy, to decide upon it.
   The system whereby a developer whose application was refused, by the duly elected councillors, can take it to the planning inspectorate, employed by the Government, flies in the face of local democracy and local determination of planning.
   Residents should be aware we have some developers in this town who have stated publicly they just put forward what they want, irrespective of design or planning policy, that they refuse to negotiate a better application with officers and when it is refused, as inevitably it is, they just send it straight to the Inspectorate to appeal the local decision.
   That is why we have flats approved to be built that are smaller than a registered social landlord would accept for their tenants. These will probably become the slums of the future.
   This is why I get very angry when an inspector states the design is not good but not bad enough to refuse.
   We are trying to improve our town, to provide good decent homes, we want to see well-designed, well-thought out and well-built developments not just mediocrity or worse so that some developers can make a quick buck.
   I must also say the majority of developers and their agents are responsible and co-operative.
Officers and members seek to work well together to ensure the best for Southend. However, as in any meaningful relationship, there will be differences of opinion.
Planning is not about black and white decision-making. Quite often there are shades of grey and decisions will include subjective factors.

ANNA WAITE
Executive councillor for planning and transport,
Southend