WALTHAM FOREST: Council meeting descends into farce

1:17pm Thursday 8th November 2007

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A COUNCIL planning meeting descended into farce last night when committee members refused to accept official legal advice.

Confusion reigned after an application to convert a family home in Hainault Road, Leytonstone, was rejected.

Members were then told by the committee legal advisor that they could introduce a motion to defer a decision on the already-rejected application.

Conservative group leader Cllr Matt Davis insisted this was "utter nonsense" and threatened to walk out of the meeting if the guidance was followed.

He insisted the advisor was misinterpreting the law and not applying it in the correct context.

Earlier Hainault Road residents told the meeting that the volume of flat conversions in the street is having an adverse effect on the surroundings, compounding parking problems and eroding a sense of community.

Before the application by Prime Lodge Developments Ltd was rejected, committee members had asked how many conversions had been carried out in the street.

Council officers could not provide this information, or tell the committee what proportion of conversions would enable members to reject the application on the grounds of over-concentration.

Members considered deferring their decision until they had more information, but a heated argument erupted when they were told they could still decide to do this having already voted to reject the application.

Members of the public, many of whom had to wait hours to have their say on applications which affect them, looked on bemused as Chair Cllr Farooq Qureshi struggled to control proceedings.

The Town Hall meeting was adjourned as intense discussions took place on how to continue.

The committee eventually resumed and agreed on the grounds for rejection.

The meeting, which started at 7.30pm, had only dealt with four applications by 11pm.