Martin Francis has a piece on planning and views of Wembley Stadium on his blog. It is critical of the Planning Committee for allowing the view of the arch to be eroded after various decisions. However, the officers' reply that no rules have been broken is quite right, and has to be the approach taken.
Planning policy is a guide not a diktat, and it is perfectly reasonable to judge each case on its merits.
Indeed to do otherwise would be "fettered discretion" and would effectively make all development in the stadium area impossible.
Therefore it is not so much that a rule has been broken, as that Martin disagrees with particular decisions.
I am no admirer of the way Brent's planning functions appear to have been bent in the last few years, but it is important to distinguish between legitimate, although perhaps questionable, decisions and unethical, illegal or illegitimate behaviour.
No comments:
Post a Comment