Planning
Planning System Is Letting Us Down
The planning system under BCP Council is not fit for purpose.
The Christchurch Independents are campaigning for change and have been now backed in our position by residents’ associations.
There have been huge delays in dealing with planning applications and some very worrying decisions in Christchurch.
Bournemouth and Poole councillors are riding roughshod over local opinion.
Meanwhile having only one committee with the overwhelming majority of members coming from Bournemouth and Poole with no local knowledge of Christchurch is a huge flaw and gives little confidence in decision making.
Only three of the 15 members come from Christchurch.
We've been assured this is alright because 'all decisions' are based on policy, but that’s not true either.
Residents across the borough have expressed their concerns about a number of planning applications. Each of these has been opposed by the Christchurch Independents. The Christchurch Independents, working with the town and parish councils instigated the commissioning of a report by a planning expert into the system.
This concluded that three different planning boards, one for each town, would be a better way of deciding on planning applications.
This was presented to BCP by Christchurch but rejected by Bournemouth and Poole’s BCP councillors.
We will keep fighting on your behalf on inappropriate and excessive development and for a fair planning system that works for Christchurch.
In April four residents’ associations, Highcliffe and Walkford, Mudeford and Friars Cliff, Winkton and Christchurch Citizens Association wrote to BCP Council chief executive to register their ‘collective dismay and disillusion’ over the planning system.
The scandal of BCP FuturePlaces
BCP Council has set up a company, which it owns, called FuturePlaces to apparently accelerate development across the new BCP Council area.
Future Places is funded directly from the BCP budget, which is of course paid for by your council tax.
They have already been given a total of over £11 million of BCP funds as a working capital loan and there is little scrutiny of the company’s activity.
Controversially, their managing director is being paid £150k a year, and two others £135k and £100k. Two other directors are the council leader Drew Mellor and deputy leader Philip Broadhead.
We have expressed concern that this is a huge gamble with taxpayer’s money and asked how the loan will be repaid.
This new company will be responsible for bringing forward development across BCP, and initially they have 15 sites earmarked, mostly for residential, one of which is the Christchurch Civic Offices site.
NOT WHIPPED - free to serve you
All Conservative councillors are frequently instructed to vote in line with the Leader and the party, despite this often being against their residents’ views. The Christchurch Independents are wholly free to vote as they wish and sometimes take differing views on issues.
That freedom is a huge strength.
They can represent their residents and wards however they feel best.
Only the Christchurch Independents will be able to properly represent you and your families - not be beholden to party whip.
