A COUNCIL cabinet member has denied claims that he has failed to prevent the "destruction of family housing" in Waltham Forest.
Planning committee member Cllr Alan Siggers asked enterprise cabinet member Cllr Terry Wheeler why he had failed to implement a mechanism which would allow councillors to turn down more applications to convert family size homes into flats.
The question at the full council meeting came after months of frustration among planning members, who feel they cannot turn down the applications because the authority's current policies do not allow it.
Mr Wheeler responded by rejecting the claim that he had failed to act.
"I think it is important that we test this area and demonstrate the damage these properties are causing. Still, help will soon be at hand."
Cllr Terry Wheeler
He then said the authority's unitary development policy was out of date and had failed to anticipate the high demand for flats in the south of the borough.
The policy will be updated, but not until 2011.
Cllr Wheeler said that in the meantime he has asked for an interim planning policy to be introduced that would give members more power to turn down applications, but said this was delayed because of "lack of resources".
A new head of planning policy would soon be employed and he or she would produce the new document.
But then Cllr Wheeler said he believed the planning committee was able to turn down the applications anyway.
Cllr Wheeler said: "It is a matter of some disappointment that Cllr Siggers as an experienced member of the planning committee could not help the committee to find the reasons to reject officers' recommendations and refuse applications.
"We may have lost some of these cases at appeal, but I think it is important that we test this area and demonstrate the damage these properties are causing. Still, help will soon be at hand."
Over the past few months Cllr Wheeler has angered members by calling in flat conversions to be considered by the committee. They claim that Cllr Wheeler is aware that members cannot presently turn them down.
Posted by: anon, walthamstow on 2:31pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Who are these people kidding. There is very, very little enforcement of the current planning rules as it is. Rumours abound that our council's planning and building control mechanisms don't work, not because of a lack of policies but because here are other forces at work.
Who are these people kidding. There is very, very little enforcement of the current planning rules as it is. Rumours abound that our council's planning and building control mechanisms don't work, not because of a lack of policies but because here are other forces at work.
Lack of resources to enlarge the planning staff, but no lack of resources to give the Councillors a 25% pay increase, it seems. Every time they plead poverty, you can never forget that they put themselves first, with our money.
BTW, considering the years of fiasco over the Arcade site, can anyone tell me the exact nature of Mr Wheeler's expertise in planning and development to justify his presiding over this area of policy all this time?
Lack of resources to enlarge the planning staff, but no lack of resources to give the Councillors a 25% pay increase, it seems. Every time they plead poverty, you can never forget that they put themselves first, with our money.
BTW, considering the years of fiasco over the Arcade site, can anyone tell me the exact nature of Mr Wheeler's expertise in planning and development to justify his presiding over this area of policy all this time?
Posted by: Walthamster, E17 on 11:22am Thu 27 Mar 08
We've had the same feeble response to many other planning issues, eg the rash of hideous iron shutters that make Walthamstow High Street look like a no-go area after dark. Other councils have prevented this by refusing permission early on. Ours let it take hold, then whined that they couldn't stop people following suit. Pathetic.
As mdj points out, the one thing WF councillors are hot on is featherine their own nests. £230,000 for their pay rises last year, £71,000 for career-enhancing 'training' this year.
We've had the same feeble response to many other planning issues, eg the rash of hideous iron shutters that make Walthamstow High Street look like a no-go area after dark. Other councils have prevented this by refusing permission early on. Ours let it take hold, then whined that they couldn't stop people following suit. Pathetic.
As mdj points out, the one thing WF councillors are hot on is featherine their own nests. £230,000 for their pay rises last year, £71,000 for career-enhancing 'training' this year.
Posted by: mr khalid, walthamstow on 5:06pm Thu 27 Mar 08
2011 is to late for the pepal to waiting changeded polcy of this thing for hoses needed before for many wating family registereded hosing lists and many now more pepal coming from the europen comunity. this terry concilor is crezy man becose always do wronged thing and no work for the pepal
2011 is to late for the pepal to waiting changeded polcy of this thing for hoses needed before for many wating family registereded hosing lists and many now more pepal coming from the europen comunity. this terry concilor is crezy man becose always do wronged thing and no work for the pepal
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