I have written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to request that he rejects the planning application for housing to be built in the site of the Fire Brigade sports and social club at Aveley.
The application, which has received considerable opposition from local residents controversially passed through the planning committee, despite the application being on a site which has not been allocated for housing development in the Borough's local development plan. The application was approved by the planning committee despite officers recommending the application be refused.
The impact of this development on the community of Aveley will be significant and it should be the case that the immediate community is the beneficiary of any monies which are agreed through planning gain as a consequence of this development. I would add that I am not sure that the process by which this decision was made has integrity. The agenda item was withdrawn and reinstated and the committee did not have the opportunity to hear representations from the local community. There is a question therefore as to whether this application was fairly considered and whether it would get through a judicial review. It is essential that when controversial planning applications are considered they do go through due process. I have therefore written to the Secretary of State to request that he does not give approval to this application.