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CAVES IN TO LEGAL THREATS |
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18:00 - 20
July 2006 |
An extra 150 homes will be built at The
Ashlands in Portishead after councillors caved in to a
developer's threats.
Councillors
on the north area committee at North Somerset Council last
Thursday approved the increased number of homes on The
Ashlands.
Solicitors acting for Ideal Developments, a
subsidiary of the UK's biggest house builder Persimmon Homes,
had written to the council saying if it wasn't given planning
permission it would appeal, which they fully expected to win
and be awarded costs in excess of £120,000.
The council
had previously refused to give the go-ahead to an identical
scheme to increase the cap at The Ashlands from 1,500 to 1,650
by Portishead Quays Partnership, a joint venture between Crest
Nicholson and Persimmon.
At the time they cited the
effect the extra 150 homes would have on junction 19 of the
M5, that Portishead wasn't a sustainable location for any
further development, and an inadequate amount of affordable
housing.
But now the councillors have performed a
U-turn and bowed to the developer's pressure.
Cllr
Arthur Terry said: "There comes a point when you have to act
in a responsible way with council tax payers'
money.
"We are talking about significant
costs.
"Much as I regret it I do not believe that we
could put forward a case that our officers could sustain at
appeal."
Cllr Nigel Ashton disagreed, saying: "At some
stage we have to stand up and say enough is
enough.
"Just because you can squeeze in extra houses
doesn't mean you should do. We are building the ghettos of the
future.
"I resent having applications coming to this
committee that I am told I can only vote one way on because of
developer's threats."
Cllr Ashton was, though, in a
minority of three people who voted against the increase, the
other two being Cllr Jon Gething and Cllr Mike
Nobes.
Eight councillors voted to give the scheme the
go-ahead, which will also see the council net almost £800,000
planning gain from the developer, the majority of which will
be spent on education.
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