Cotswold District Council planning process is slammed by town council
Chipping Campden councillors say they're dismayed with the authority's planning processes and decisions.
The council has asked all other Cotswolds town and parish councils for their views in a bid to shake-up the system.
It says its views on plans are often ignored and decisions too often delegated to officers rather than going to committee for a democratic debate.
Chipping Campden town mayor Chris Jones has written to the district council chief executive, copying all town and parish councils and Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.
The town council's planning chairman Robert Moore resigned through 'complete frustration' as comments on planning applications were ignored.
The final straw came when a delegated decision to approve The Foss, on Aston Road – a four-bedroom, four-bathroom house on the plot of a tiny 1950s bungalow – went through. The proposal had been opposed by the town council.
Mr Jones said: "The concerns of this council are so strong that some members are suggesting we cease any consideration of planning and listed building consent applications, as our input is a waste of time and money.
"Decisions on applications which are sensitive and important to this community, and on which objections are raised by us and other persons, are regularly being made by officers and not referred to your planning regulatory committee.
"Decisions are increasingly being made which ignore the objections raised by us and other consultees.
"Whilst that might be appropriate for urban areas such as Gloucester and Cheltenham it's not appropriate for the largely rural Cotswold district with its rich architectural heritage."
A district council spokesman said there had been relatively few differences between it and Campden in the last 16 months.
He said: "Between April 2007 and August 2008 we sent 143 consultations regarding applications within the geographical area of Chipping Campden Town Council. Of these only 12 objected to by the town council were approved.
"On issues such as planning applications, which require judgements, it's accepted not all parties will always be in agreement
"We receive over 3,000 planning applications each year and in the interest of speed, efficiency and customer care we need to have a scheme of delegations which allows us to make decisions.
"Town and parish councils are very important consultees and we register their comments or objections.
"Where there are objections to a planning application, for example over a sensitive or overly large application, the planning officer will always consult with the ward member, who can decide whether it should go to committee."
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