LETTER: Planning decisions fly in face of democracy

Our country is looked on as a model of democracy, government of the people by the people or their representitives. Yet planning seems to fly in the face of all such principles.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Feb 2013, 13:33 BST

The recent outline planning granted by an inspector for the Milton Avenue development is just one of those recent cases where the people from a very large area do not want it, for many excellent reasons not just “nimby” (not in my back yard).

The counillors do not want it because they feel it would be detrimental to what is already there, and because of the knock-on effects. Yet some money-grabbing developer can appeal and it is decided by one man or woman, who does not come from the area; can know little about its residents’ way of life; ambience of the area; or what has gone before. What right have they to tell residents of 50, 60 and 70 years what they should have or do?

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It is about time central government looked at this draconian system which flys in the face of democray, costs the rate payer dearly, and negates the local authorities’ powers without right of appeal.

Two or three thousand letters to the government, plus entries on facebook or twitter, might have a supriseing effect. We should try every avenue to change this undemocratic and unfair system

ROLAND HAILWOOD,

A non-politcal democract