Advertisement
Controversial development granted permission
Date published: 19 February 2010
A hugely controversial housing development has been granted planning permission.
Great Places Housing Group applied for permission to build 27 dwellings on land off Woodbine Street and Elder Street, Wellfield, land that Rochdale Online recently revealed the Council wants to sell to the Housing Group for just £1.
Nearby residents turned out en masse at Rochdale Planning Sub-Committee vociferously objecting to serious congestion and parking problems already causing a traffic hazard. However, planning officers told the sub-committee, to the astonishment of anyone who knows how bad the congestion is on Woodbine Street, that they had visited the site and declared there is no congestion - prompting shouts from residents that they must have visited in the early hours of the morning.
Residents supplied the councillors on the sub-committee with photographs of the problems of parked cars on Woodbine Street, used not only by existing residents but also visitors to Wellfield Surgery, Lloyds Pharmacy, nearby businesses and industrial estate, to no avail.
Lib Dem Ward councillor David Clayton spoke eloquently in support of objecting residents and took the applicants to task on their claim of extensive consultation with residents, saying to his knowledge there had been little to no consultation. Councillor Clayton also condemned the wording of council officers report, which he said mentioned targeting the houses at young Asian families, saying "that sort of language gives the BNP the propaganda excuse they need".
Councillor Clayton reinforced residents’ objections about parking and congestion problems and said the application should be rejected on those grounds.
In a further controversial twist Councillor Clayton objected to his Lib Dem colleague Councillor Mohamed Sharif being allowed to vote. A member of the planning sub-committee, Councillor Sharif is also the portfolio holder for regeneration and a member of the Lib Dem cabinet, raising, according to Councillor Clayton, an issue of pre-determination by Councillor Sharif. Chairman of the meeting Councillor Peter Clegg intervened and explained that Councillor Sharif had sought the Council's legal advice and been cleared to vote.
After the meeting Councillor Clayton continued to express his surprise that a planning committee member who had already made his mind up he wanted the application to succeed was allowed to vote, observing that his contribution to the debate had swung the vote which was 5 in favour, 3 against with 1 abstention.
Councillor Jean Ashworth, who has family and friends living nearby, also strongly objected. She said "I visit the area every week." Councillor Ashworth agreed with residents that the land would be better used for "much needed recreational space". She too, like Councillor Clayton, objected to the "targeting of young Asian families" saying: "This kind of targeting is disgraceful." A word she also used when talking of Council plans to sell the land to the developer for £1.
With planning consent granted, the developers must now wait to find out if the council is to approve the controversial sale of the land for £1.
Sharon Taylor of Woodbine Street, speaking on behalf of residents, said they would continue to fight the proposed development.
Comments
We must all fight the council on any decision to sell this land below market value. The land now has planning permission. The sale must go to tender or auction. That would determine the right price. And I bet it is more than the council paid in year 2000.
As for the suggestion that these houses are for "Asian families". This suggests an underlying degree of racism and planned segregation. Somebody needs to put in place a monitoring system on how people are granted these homes.
Well Im shocked at this permission.
Again it shows how out of touch the Council is. I too would like to know what time the council visited the streets.
Wake up non Asian residents of Rochdale and realise that you are now second class citizens in the eyes of the political leadership of this town. Stinking corruption at its worst! Roll on the election and let's hope there is someone to vote for that represents those of us that are racially disadvantaged.
We went to this meeting only to find Councillor Sharif on the Planning Committee. Not supprising we didn't stand a chance, once again. We now want to know why he was allowed to sit on the Planning Committee, let alone vote! This needs looking into and the vote being made void.
I actually attended this meeting and was stunned to find Councillor Sharif being allowed to vote as stated Councillor Sharif is the portfolio holder for regeneration, and has previously been portrayed in the media urging the council to sell the land.
This would suggest that he obviously has an interest in this project yet he failed to declare this at the meeting. Myself and numerous others would like an explanation of how this was allowed to happen.
I have been familiar with this area for many a year, and I am of the opinion that the Planning Officer must have been to a different area. I feel this application should be called in by the minister for further consideration.
Let's hope Councillor Irene Davidson ensures that the Council get the real money for the sale of land. Councillor Clayton knows this area exceptionally well, and if he and I agree, someone must be wrong!
This whole saga stinks to high heaven. Clearly a case of conflict of interest" as far as Councillor Sharif is concerned. A judicial review must be called for here. This is gerrymandering in it's crudest form.
The cost of land is on the up, according to council officers in other development areas of Rochdale.
Councillors who sit on planning have to undertake training with regards to the law. It clearly stipulates that you must not enter into a debate with regards to an application that will come before you.If you do you must declare an interest and leave the room. Residents could take up this issue with the Ombudsman and/or standards board. Cllr Shariff has sought advice so it would seem the council could be at fault.
What have the council said in response to this? Is there a statement from them?
Come on, who reading this is actually surprised?
The residents are treated as a nuisance, a fly in the ointment to their plans to completely take over the town.
The whole of the council tax paying population should be up in arms about the sale of the land for £1 to a company worth £140M!
The whole thing STINKS.
The more I read into this the more it stinks.
Besides the prejudice and danger to make such a statement that they are being built for Asian families, to allow the portfolio holder to vote for the planning is absurd.
Can anyone imagine the uproar if a councillor stated new houses where being aimed at white families?
I think this needs to be refered to the Local Government Ombudsman.
I too would like to hear the councils response on this before the matter is referred to the ombudsman.
Can you imagine what the council's reation would be to a developer stating that houses are to be for white families?
Wake up Rochdale to the institutionalised racism of this Liberal Democrat run council.
There are two issues: one of the planning application and Cllr Sharif's entitlement to vote, the second being racism.
I'm not convinced racism is an issue here. Councillor Sharif's involvement is an issue though.
Anyone who knows the street will know just how busy it is. At the meeting a highway officer stated he did not see a problem with traffic, did he close his eyes whilst inspecting?
We are now asking why was Councillor Sharif allowed to sit on commitee and vote? Every step of this develpopment was flawed, from lack of consultation to Cllr Sharif voting.
What is going on?
A predetermined project.
I will be writing to the ombudsman over this farce and I urge you all to do the same.
Unfortunately, if a planning officer perceived there not to be a planning issue then it is read as gospel.
I agree that road is already to congested and it does make you wonder what time of day it was recorded.
The time was very convienient to their plans, I am sure.
Things cannot be allowed to keep happening like this. It is not in the name of regeneration, on a street where traffic is a major problem let's put even more cars and people on, all trying to use the dead end street! No wonder kids spend all there time indoors when there is only traffic crammed roads to play near.
This abuse of public money and planning to influence the public prior to an election is gerrymandering of the worst kind. Don’t be fooled by this blatent exploitation by our Liberal Democrat ‘leaders’.
Have Your Say
Well there's a result no one predicted (sense the sacrasm).
I can't be the only one sick of living under an inept and corrupt council. A council that has the audacity to apply a 4% Council Tax increase whilst selling off its assets for £1.
By Danny @ 19/02/2010 09:31:31