"One Who Loves Portobello Market" writes:
"A Planning Inspector has vindicated 39,000 members of the 'Save the Portobello Road Market' Campaign by comprehensively REJECTING an Appeal to keep most of the notorious ALL SAINTS' shop front at the corner of Westbourne Grove & Portobello Road!
Unfortunately his decision comes too late. A hundred local residents were furious when last week's Planning Committee APPROVED a third version of a similar application! Cllrs Buxton, Neal, Read, Rossi & Atkinson all condemned it. As expected, Buxton, Neal & Read then performed a classic RBKC U turn by granting the application! The public was duly appalled.
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| Hero's Rossi & Atkinson |
Wild cheers were reserved for courageous Cllrs Rossi & Atkinson. But where was our man of integrity, Cllr Read? Nowhere to be seen!
What a wimp.....just a reed blowing in the wind....
In 2004 the influential Ladbroke Association backed a similar design - withdrawing earlier objections in exchange for important concessions from the developers. Then as usual, under delegated officer powers, the concessions were made to disappear. Management was oblivious. The officer responsible for this manipulation later joined the developers' architects. So RBKC falls into even greater disrepute, while North Kensington has yet another fifth rate building!"
At the Planning Committee, Cllr Read had a curiously familiar, self-satisfied smirk on his face - while voting in his own political interest against the public interest. It seems Cllr Moylan may have a rival for the post of RBKC arch-smirker. Perhaps Cllr Read has received lessons from the Master.
ReplyDeleteCllr Read needs to raise his game. He has two possible roads to follow. He can try to be a great councillor or he can follow the poodle trail.
ReplyDeleteThe Planning Committee followed its common practice of ignoring the evidence and voting according to diktat. In this case, HM Planning Inspector has since provided a detailed condemnation of the entire shop front. So rather than escaping public criticism, the Committee is hoist by its own petard. The public has had more than enough of hearing Committee members criticise applications, before approving that which should be rejected.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that on this occasion only Cllrs Rossi and Atkinson did their duty. Apparently at the same meeting, at least 2 other equally unreasonable decisions were made. In the modern world, every time this happens, a few hundred more residents learn the truth. This will eventually catch up with the Establishment.
Cllr Ahern has stated on many occasions that planning in K&C is too "developer friendly" and he intends to do something about this.
ReplyDeleteWell Cllr Ahern has been in charge of Planning (he is Cabinet Member for Planning) for long enough and he needs to start making a difference. Otherwise residents will conclude that he is just hot air and not worthy of the Leadership position which he wants so badly.
Come on Tim, start making a difference
At a recent council meeting, councillors unanimously voted for RBKC Planning to find a way to resist underground development - as other boroughs have succeeding in doing. On the very same evening, the planning committee granted permission for yet another huge underground development in Phillimore Gardens.
ReplyDeleteThe scandal of uncontrolled underground development in Kensington & Chelsea has now reached the German Press.
ReplyDeleteCllr Rossi looks tasty!
ReplyDeleteThat's because Pooter is German according to the Dame
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