Aldi to open in stafford

phildo

phildo

Well-Known Forumite
Bad news in my eyes......nothing against Aldi or investment which brings jobs but with the current infrastructure the location is badly wrong. Plenty of sites available around Stafford with better access so why compound the existing misery for people having to navigate Lichfield Rd?
 
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andy w

Well-Known Forumite
Have the planners not learnt from the Newport Rd and the Lichfield Rd, we need another set of lights on the A34 like a hole in the head.
Also got thinking about alternative development sites and the demolished County Council buildings on Riverside come to mind and I imagine there are development opportunities on Greyfriers.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
I think you are confusing trepanning with planning

Planners make recommendations - Councillors on a committee then decide what the hell they want

Trepanning is the process of drilling another hole in the head
 
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markpa12003

Well-Known Forumite
I agree that Councillors are an inconvenience, however they do get the final say on planning applications which are controversial, major or they 'call in'.
 
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andy w

Well-Known Forumite
And how many times have Councillors being strongly advised by the Chief Planning Officer ( or whatever they are called now) not to oppose applications due to the fear of the associated costs of losing in the appeal procedure.
Yes we employ officers for their professionalism and knowledge of planning guidance but with the cabinet system rather than the committee system many Councillors are impotent in the decision making process.
 
Ecker

Ecker

Well-Known Forumite
Morrisons and Aldi coming to Stafford, M&S building a bigger store,
that'll be when Nelson gets his eye back then will it?
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
The Power is with the Olde Guard planning development control committee councillors on Stafford Borough Council, or whatever their collective name is nowadays.

The tiny Stafford Planning Department makes recommendations on guidelines set by both local and national government framework
 
Ecker

Ecker

Well-Known Forumite
John Marwood said:
The Power is with the Olde Guard planning development control committee councillors on Stafford Borough Council, or whatever their collective name is nowadays.

The tiny Stafford Planning Department makes recommendations on guidelines set by both local and national government framework
Click to expand...


Good point JohnM, Control explains it all
 
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markpa12003

Well-Known Forumite
Andy W, planning officers are there to advise and if a Chief Planning Officer believes members are refusing a scheme on 'weak' (and non defensible) grounds then they will inform councillors of such in order to avoid losing an appeal or having an award of costs made against them. What would you prefer the officers to do? However, the final decision rests with the councillors. Councillors can, and do, ignore the recommendations of their officers.
 
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andy w

Well-Known Forumite
Your quite right, planning officers advise on the basis of planning rules and regulations and it is up to councillors to go along with the recommendation. With the majority of applications a recommendation is pretty much clear cut on way or the other but it the one's that are more open to intereptation that causes the problems. Developers are well aware that council planning departments shy away from going through the appeal system due to the costs. What also worries me is that ultimately it is a planning inspector who decides on the appeal decision and this is where democracy is over ruled.
 
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andy w

Well-Known Forumite
Well the Kentucky has been empty for a few years and there is a detached house next to it for sale as well. Also some of the other buildings are showing their age and although I'd imagine the ownership is piecemeal, the area is ripe for redevelopment.
 
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