The Torbay Coastal Heritage Trust's letter regarding the perceived abject failures and duplicity of the Torbay Design Review Panel (TDRP) makes for fascinating but ultimately alarming reading. The letter is reproduced here by kind permission of the TCHT.
“It is up to us to live up to the legacy that was left for us, and to leave a legacy that is worthy of our children."
Our ref 129 -3rd January. 2019 Objection
Your ref. P/2018/1053 Sladnor Park, Maidencombe.
Planning Officers re Torbay Design Review Panel
Dear Sirs / Madam Timeline of Events re Sladnor Park Application
1. Developer responds to Torbay Council web question quote:
“Do you need Planning permssion?” “Contact us about a potential future major development”
“Save you the costs of pursuing a formal application unlikely to gain approval”
“Avoid delays by reducing the amount of negotiations and amendments required at the formal application stage”
“In some instances we will wish to refer development proposals to the independent Torbay Design Review panel. A separate fee will be required to cover the cost of using the Panel."
2. Developers Architect Tyack Architects prepare a 7 page briefing document for Panel distribution and a powerpoint presentation to procure the support of Torbay Design Review Panel.
3. 7th November 2016 meeting, Torbay Design Review Panel at Council House, Torquay Chair, Panel Members, Developer, Architects, Planning Advisor and Torbay Planning Officers. commencing with a presentation noting the site is within the Countryside zone, Coastal Zone and Area of Great Landscape Value. Recording incorrectly:-“ An extant planning permission exists for a similar type of development”
4. The TDRP minutes records para 2.1. quote:
“The various viewpoints that you illustrate with a comparison between the current scheme, the impact of the approved project and the anticipated impacts of the new proposals seem not to show a significant increase in harm to the visual amenity of the surroundings,” and Para 5.0 quote:“We are broadly supportive of the revised proposals as a replacement for the approved scheme and it appears that the new strategy is not markedly different in terms of visual impacts.”
5. Torbay Design Review Panel - became -Torbay Developers Resolution Panel By Wittingly or Unwittingly a series of grave incorrect assessments.
Reasons:
a) Incorrect analysis that previous approved scheme was valid. Expired (see Para 6)
b) Since expiration, ignoring a multitude of new relevant National and Local Planning Policies.
c) In breach of Principle Accountable. “The Review Panel and its advice must be clearly seen to work for the benefit of the public. This should be ingrained within the panel’s terms of reference.”
d) The Panel was not Independent, working only for the Developers overdevelopment benefit.
e) Not taking account the proposed large development is in an area scheduled as Country Park.
f) Failed to look at scheme in context, and challenge the design brief, to preserve the setting.
g) Failed to identify weak and inappropriate scheme at an early stage, when radical changes can be made with a minimum of wasted time and effort, and consideration of current policies.
h) Failed a programme of community engagement, to hold a meeting in public, proceeding secretly
i) The community was denied knowledge of the secret minutes of the meeting for over two years.
j) The secrecy from the Community, delayed identifying errors of simple common sense.
k) A Panel member was biased- designing and advocating tall building in protected Coastal areas.
6. 21st May 2018 Torbay Mr Scott Jones Pre-application advice Quote:- “As previously stated within correspondence by Ruth Robinson it was stated that the Authority considered the previous consent to have expired” 7. 15th Nov.2018 Planning Application Validated - Agent Pegasus Planning Group Ltd.
It is requested the proposals are re-assessed by an Independent Regional or National Panel to re-consider the above mis-calculations before the Committee consideration.
Yours faithfully — Trustees (12) of Torbay Coastal Heritage Trust (copy to CABE)
Saturday, January 05, 2019
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment