The ugly letter that takes decisions from Lancashire and gives them to Westminster... that paves the way for some vile interpretation of creating a 'Northern Powerhouse' operated by bureaucrats on the backs of the people of the North and takes 'localism' to comedic levels!
Today is Lancashire Day and it seems our gift is time off from involvement in decision making in our county - but if this was about windfarms, that would be an entirely different and very local matter!
.........................................................................................................................................................................
From Westminster TO:
Development Management Group
Lancashire County Council
PO Box 100
Evironment Directorate
County Hall
Preston
PR1 0LD
Today is Lancashire Day and it seems our gift is time off from involvement in decision making in our county - but if this was about windfarms, that would be an entirely different and very local matter!
.........................................................................................................................................................................
From Westminster TO:
Development Management Group
Lancashire County Council
PO Box 100
Evironment Directorate
County Hall
Preston
PR1 0LD
26 November 2015
Dear Development Management Group,
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Dear Development Management Group,
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Appeals by Cuadrilla Bowland Limited, Cuadrilla Elswick Limited
Site Addresses: around Preston New Road near Little Plumpton, Preston; and around Roseacre and Wharles, Preston, Lancashire .
Although under the Town and Country Planning (Determination of Appeals by Appointed Persons)(Prescribed Classes) Regulations 1997, the appeals were to have been decided by an Inspector, the Secretary of State considers that he should determine them himself.
Accordingly, in exercise of his powers under section 79 and paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 ofthe Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Secretary of State hereby directs that he shall determine these appeals instead of an Inspector. This means that instead of writing a decision, the Inspector will prepare a report and recommendation, which will be forwarded to the Secretary of State.
The reason for this direction is because the drilling appeals (3134385 and 3134386) involve proposals for exploring and developing shale gas which amount to proposals for development of major importance having more than local significance and proposals which raise important or novel issues of development control, and/or legal difficulties. The monitoring appeals (3130923 and 3130924) are being considered at the same time as the drilling appeals and will be most efficiently and effectively determined by the Secretary of State. These two appeals are therefore being recovered because of the particular circumstances.
This direction is being served on the Inspector, the appellant (or their representative) and the local planning authority.
The guidelines for 'recovering' appeals are to be found in House of Commons Hansard Ministerial Statement of 30 June 2008. We will send you a copy of the appropriate extracts if you ask for them or you can get them from the Planning Practice Guidance http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/guidance/appeals/planning-appeals-general/
Yours sincerely,
Mark Boulton
Authorised to sign on behalf of the Secretary of State
Mark Boulton
Authorised to sign on behalf of the Secretary of State
Where applicable, you can use the internet to submit documents, to see information and to check the progress of cases through the Planning Portal. The address of our search page is - www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/appeals/online/search
Linked cases: APP/Q2371/W/15/3130924, APP/Q2371/W/15/3134385, APP/Q2371/W
Firstly, Tina, I congratulate you and the Nanas for winning the local democratic battle. But as you well know, democracy will only be tolerated up to a point. If the people vote against the will of the people in power, democracy must be overridden. This is not just the case in the UK, but in every democracy in the world.
ReplyDeleteBut let's stick to the UK. I think you are over-optimistic about democracy per se. Most people in the UK are quite thick and generally selfish. This is evidenced by the fact that in GE2015 almost half the people voted Tory (even though the told the pollsters they wouldn't).
What the Tories are selling is an easy sell: "vote for us, and pay less tax, and most of the tax you do pay will go to the military, to keep your family safe".
There will be a lot of your friends and acquaintances who voted Tory. Tease it out of them, as I have done, and you will be surprised. (Of course, I have cut them off, out of contempt, which is why I now don't have many friends.)
We must now change tactics, Tina. We must work on the Tory voters (and most of the Labour and Lid Dem and UKIP voters) in the only place they are sensitive to: their wallet and their 'security'.
Apparently only 32% of women support fracking. But women are, I think, the main decision makers in house purchase. Women, even Tory women, feel 'insecure' about Fracking.
Seriously, the vast majority of the British people are not interested in the morality of Fracking.
If you tell them the folks of Blackpool are going to suffer all kinds of hormonal problems, and cancers and birth defects (which is why New York City has banned Fracking), you are wasting your time. The average Tory voter, like the average Labour voter, is more worried about a little dent or a scratch that has appeared on his car than in pollution of the aquifers in Lancashire. Think about it.
Forget the morality. We've already won that battle. If we start telling the people of England that their £450,000 house will be worth only £250,000 if a Fracking drill appears within a radius of 5 miles, then things will happen.
I'm serious, Tina. Don't trust democracy. Most folks in Britain are presently stupid, selfish and dangerous. I sincerely hope things change, but until they do we have to make people scared about the fall in their house price. It is the only thing that matters to the typical British individual and his family.