Town Council Planners know best?

As someone who follows the antics of the useless Town Council Planning Committee I was somewhat taken aback by Margaret Cooke in her letter to the Hunts Post. In the letter Margaret Cooke says:

Why does she think the council planners voted against this development. Was it for the fun of it or could there be genuine reasons why this happened?

Having got hold of the minutes of the Town Council Planning Committee where the cinema proposal was voted down I have must have been for fun as there were no genuine reasons for refusal given.

As can be seen from the minutes there are no reasons given for refusal. Whilst the useless Town Council Planning Committee voted against the cinema development there is little to back up this refusal. What has been said in the press about the reasons for refusal are useless arguments.

Now if the residents really wanted to stop this scheme they should have started back when the consultation over the development brief started. The residents could have put up candidates at the elections in May. The residents could have lobbied their councillors. The residents could have gone to Town Council meetings and protested at the lease of land to Turnstone Estates. The residents could have applied for Shady Walk to become a Town Green.

If the development goes ahead all the residents against this scheme have done is to get a petition together and object. Not much else. The political class in St Neots is for the cinema scheme. HDC including its Planning Department is for the scheme. With the decision due for the Development Management Panel Meeting of 19th December 2011. This could be an early Christmas present for someone and a awful Christmas for others.