Why allow developers to put waste on Gren Belt (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Why allow developers to put waste on Gren Belt

11:13am Friday 30th November 2007 in Search By Guardian-series

WHY is it that councils in Essex continue to give planning permission to developers to profit from the importation of waste onto green belt land for the development of golf courses?

In the Sunday Express (November 11 edition) a representative from the Planning Officers Association was quoted as saying: "Some planners don't realise the quantities of waste that will be involved, and ordering it to be removed will just double the nuisance.

"If questions are not asked at the time, it is too late to do much about it when permission has been granted."

Let's just hope planning officers and councillors at Basildon Council asked the right questions before granting permission to Jack Barker Golf to import 140,000 tonnes of building spoil onto Basildon Golf Course.

Perhaps they did not realise that Jack Barker Golf are still importing waste onto their course at Risebridge Chase, Romford, two years after being given permission.

Why are councils falling for this scam? And why are they seemingly making the job much tougher for the Environment Agency and much easier for these 'waste cheats' to continue with this very lucrative scam'? Sir John Harman, chairman of the Environment Agency, called the developers at Blunts Farm 'unscrupulous' and said: "I wouldn't want to see the operator get away with this abuse without suffering substantial financial loss.

Theydon Bois Action Group.