thomasg wrote:Why did they even get planning permission?
We have enough "stylish apartments", can`t you do something about this?
And get developers maybe to build some town houses?
I'm afraid that isn't the way the system works. The legal position is that the Council can set out the framework in which it expects developers to work. This can be challenged, and often is, if it is seen as too onerous by developers, and the policy is then reviewed by a Government Inspector who will then determine how the policy should be worded. Basically the planning system is intended to allow people to do what they like with their property and the role of the Council is almost entirely reactive - it can only agree or refuse an application made to it to develop land. It can only refuse permission if it considers that the application is contrary to its local policies set out in the planning framework. Even then the developer can appeal against the Council's decision to the Planning Inspectorate, which is set up by the Government, and the Inspector's decision is final.
Redbridge's planning Regulatory Committee did originally refuse permission for the current development. A legal opinion was then sought, however, on the grounds on which the decision was taken and this opinion was that the Council would be unlikely to win if an appeal was made against its decision. This put the Councillors in an impossible position - if they continued to refuse permission and the Council lost an appeal, it could have costs awarded against it and a case could be made that the Councillors would be personally liable for the costs (potentially running into many thousands of pounds) for ignoring the advice given to them.
The developers then resubmitted their original proposal and this time the Regulatory Committee gave permission for the development to go ahead.
The result is what you see now and I think it highlights how weak the planning system is in providing what the community wants compared with what the developer wants, but that is more an argument for Parliament.
