Readers will be aware that Anglesey Council, entertained a planning application at Ty Mawr Llanfairpwll that was less than well put together; heard at two Full Council Committees but mysteriously under Planning & Orders Committee rules adopted especially at those committees but no audio recordings of the vote "adopting Planning & Orders Committee rules" are apparently available.
The Councils Full Committee on 30th January 2009 voted in favour of the previously defeated proposal however under the Planning & Orders Committee rules because the application was with an officers' recommendation for approval (God knows why?) then it had returned to Committee following a months cooling off period from the original hearing of 5th December 2008.
There is evidence to suggest that the application heard before Committee on 30th January 2009 was biased, inaccurate and key facts were misrepresented and naturally this will become further apparent in the fullness of time. We are aware that The Welsh Audit Office have taken a keen interest in the Ty Mawr, Llanfairpwll saga.
Jane Davidson AM, Minister of Environment, Sustainability & Housing has notified Anglesey Council by way of a "call-in" letter dated 30th March 2009 details are reported previously here.
Notice was received via Anglesey Council on Friday 5th June 2009 of a "Public Inquiry" to hear the body of evidence for and against the proposal before a Welsh Assembly Givernment (Planning Inspectorate) Planning Inspector later in 2009.
The developer will be arguing before The Inspector in favour of the proposal. Anglesey Council (with its members having voted in favour of the proposal at Full Council Committee stage) will also be compelled to argue in favour of the proposal. We are aware (of a body of thought) that Anglesey Council may have approved the proposal "just to appear to be in favour of development and jobs" whereas it in fact all along wanted the "problem" to be dealt with by WAG.
A Public Enquiry is a very costly process and normally a developer would expect to get no change from £250k but if costs we're awarded against the developer then this might then add a further £250k leading to a £500k bill for costs.
It is normal to employ "the very best" experts to provide evidence before The Inspector including barristers. Usually the developer and The Council would cross swords but in this instance they are on the same side in trying to get the planning permission allowed. A strange situation as the few objectors will need to club together and pool resources to make their case before The Inspector.
A David and Goliath scenario; furthermore Planning Inspectors very much dislike situations where the Council and Developer are "on the same side" because it means the hearing looks inequitous and unbalanced. Anglesey rate-payers might not think this is so bad but consider for a moment the following:
1. The Public Inquiry cost to Anglesey Council might lead to permission being allowed. This means Anglesey Council have "part funded" the defence of the permission.
2. The Welsh Assembly have provided tokenism to locals after some public unrest in Bangor citing lack of investment and choice in the town centre by announcing "grants for Amlwch, Holyhead, and Bangor" (You will recall WAG already spent £150M trying to improve Holyhead's core over a 10 year period and failed dismally as there are 50 vacant shop units and the Pettifer out of town scheme dominates the retail scene)
Why should permission for Ty Mawr, Llanfairpwll "stand" given the mountain of evidence including National Planning Policy and Anglesey Council breaking six of its own key policies?
3. Anglesey Council with Crown Estate just funded a lengthy court case regarding a marina proposal on mussel beds at Gallows Point, Beaumaris. The legal costs were not disclosed in last weeks single page spread in the Holyhead & Anglesey Mail where Clive McGregor as new Council Leader took the poisoned chalice to explain what went wrong as The Mussel Fishermen won. Clearly the previous Leadership (not Original Independents) took the decision to challenge the Mussel Fishermen but what was the cost?
Anglesey ratepayers need to ask why The Council appears to be backing some developments and not others such as the proposal by StMalo at Llangefni.
The ludicrous side of the foregoing is explained next. If the Planning Inspector finds in favour of the Ty Mawr, Llanfairpwll proposal and that the decision (to approve) should stand......wait for it..........The Welsh Assembly Government can still decide to overrule the Planning Inspectors' decision!!
What a farce! Keep watching...
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