ONE RULE FOR THEM
16 February 2006
Like many others, your correspondent Alcwyn T Price (Have Your Say, February 8) seeks an explanation for the retrospective sanctioning of the former Swansea Council chief executive's garage alterations and considers that the planning department is a law unto itself. This particularly relates to the council's own schemes, where less stringent rules seem to apply.
Projects can be inadequately researched and documented, necessitating queries which may wait months for reluctant answers.Biased or misleading information can be fed to councillors.
For example, the relevant planning committee was told the new siting of the Slip Bridge "would seek to retain the trees on the Mumbles Road side".
In fact they were cut down, with the result that the proclaimed object of retaining the trees "to soften the visual impact of the view of the bridge" was not achieved. Its starkness remains for all to see.
In the case of the new educational centre in Singleton's botanic garden, the planning committee was assured that "it is not proposed to provide any additional car parking or coach parking as a result of the development".
This undertaking was intended to assuage the fears of local residents that the centre would encourage more cars to enter Singleton Park.
In fact, a fair-sized car park has been created without planning permission on the nursery land immediately behind the building. Councillors were told the siting of the building "would create a sense of enclosure to the garden" and would not harm the setting of Sidney Heath's listed Georgian fountain. Visitors can now see that both assurances are highly disputable.
It is unfortunate the council has abandoned the intended independent investigation that would have evaluated the planning department's role in the garage saga. This should not, however, prevent the council from establishing its own review of the department's performance and procedures in consultation with dissatisfied taxpayers.
Rus Davies, Cwmrhydyceirw, Swansea
Like many others, your correspondent Alcwyn T Price (Have Your Say, February 8) seeks an explanation for the retrospective sanctioning of the former Swansea Council chief executive's garage alterations and considers that the planning department is a law unto itself. This particularly relates to the council's own schemes, where less stringent rules seem to apply.
Projects can be inadequately researched and documented, necessitating queries which may wait months for reluctant answers.Biased or misleading information can be fed to councillors.
For example, the relevant planning committee was told the new siting of the Slip Bridge "would seek to retain the trees on the Mumbles Road side".
In fact they were cut down, with the result that the proclaimed object of retaining the trees "to soften the visual impact of the view of the bridge" was not achieved. Its starkness remains for all to see.
In the case of the new educational centre in Singleton's botanic garden, the planning committee was assured that "it is not proposed to provide any additional car parking or coach parking as a result of the development".
This undertaking was intended to assuage the fears of local residents that the centre would encourage more cars to enter Singleton Park.
In fact, a fair-sized car park has been created without planning permission on the nursery land immediately behind the building. Councillors were told the siting of the building "would create a sense of enclosure to the garden" and would not harm the setting of Sidney Heath's listed Georgian fountain. Visitors can now see that both assurances are highly disputable.
It is unfortunate the council has abandoned the intended independent investigation that would have evaluated the planning department's role in the garage saga. This should not, however, prevent the council from establishing its own review of the department's performance and procedures in consultation with dissatisfied taxpayers.
Rus Davies, Cwmrhydyceirw, Swansea
posted by Commentator at 11:00 AM
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