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Colchester: 'Up in arms' against flats
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| Desmond Murray-Bligh leads protests against flats being developed next to his home in Lexden. |
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PLANS for luxury flats in Lexden have met with dismay from neighbours who fear they are the "thin end of the wedge".
They are up in arms over plans for 14 luxury flats on the site of a detached home in Parsons Hill.
Retired Major Desmond Murray-Bligh, who lives next to the proposed development, said he will fight the scheme to defend the area.
However, Roger Sumner, who is behind the development, said the "generous" flats are needed in the Lexden area and would cater for residents from the area who wanted to live in Lexden, but who could no longer cope with large houses and gardens.
The plans involve demolishing a five-bedroom three-storey detached house with half an acre of land and replacing it with two blocks of seven flats. Each block would have a lift and underground parking.
Mr Sumner said the flats would be aimed at the top end of the market with a possible price tag in the region of £250,000.
Major Murray-Bligh, 77, said: "We are up in arms about this development.
"If permission is given for one application for flats, that will open the door for other houses in the neighbourhood to be converted by developers."
Major Murray-Bligh said a petition had been started against the development which will be presented to Colchester Council.
12:54pm Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: a resident on 2:19pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Sadly this is very probably a done deal.The council planning department NEVER hold up any objections in this town so ive a feeling your wasting your time.
Sadly this is very probably a done deal.The council planning department NEVER hold up any objections in this town so ive a feeling your wasting your time.
Posted by: Joe Blogger, Soap Box on 2:33pm Thu 27 Mar 08
It's the Tory coucillors who have opened the floodgates to the greedy developers that are ruining Colchester.
So, Major Murray-Bligh and your neighbours, the answer is to vote them out before it's too late !! You have two in Lexden Ward that need getting rid of in order to save our Town!!
[bold]bold[/bold] 'POWER TO THE PEOPLE'
It's the Tory coucillors who have opened the floodgates to the greedy developers that are ruining Colchester.
So, Major Murray-Bligh and your neighbours, the answer is to vote them out before it's too late !! You have two in Lexden Ward that need getting rid of in order to save our Town!!
'POWER TO THE PEOPLE'
Posted by: love colchester, Colchester on 4:45pm Thu 27 Mar 08
It is a shame 'Joe Blogger' could not have come to the public meeting last night and learned, as we all did, what the rules are and how planning works.
It is a shame 'Joe Blogger' could not have come to the public meeting last night and learned, as we all did, what the rules are and how planning works.
Posted by: barney, col on 8:11pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Of course it has nothing to do with the £ million profit the developer is likely to get !
Of course it has nothing to do with the £ million profit the developer is likely to get !
Posted by: Cliff, Colchester on 10:45pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I find it very sad that there's all these claims that planning decisions are 'foregone conclusions'. They are not - they are decided according to planning laws by people who very often don't want to do it, but have to. And it's nothing to do with one party or another. I happened to be at planning committee tonight and the committee split across party lines several times.
I find it very sad that there's all these claims that planning decisions are 'foregone conclusions'. They are not - they are decided according to planning laws by people who very often don't want to do it, but have to. And it's nothing to do with one party or another. I happened to be at planning committee tonight and the committee split across party lines several times.
Posted by: The old sea dog, Any port in a storm on 11:21pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]barney[/bold] wrote:
Of course it has nothing to do with the £ million profit the developer is likely to get ! [/quote] And all the lovely jubly council tax and back handers!!!!
barney wrote:
Of course it has nothing to do with the £ million profit the developer is likely to get !
And all the lovely jubly council tax and back handers!!!!
Posted by: love colchester, Colchester on 8:01am Fri 28 Mar 08
It is always the same. I would ask 'old sea dog' to stand for election, do the trainign for the planning committee and see how it really works. THERE ARE NO BACK HANDERS!!! Councillors have more rules than all the MPs put together about receiving benefits - they just give up their time for very little allowance and then receive comments like that from people like you!
It is always the same. I would ask 'old sea dog' to stand for election, do the trainign for the planning committee and see how it really works. THERE ARE NO BACK HANDERS!!! Councillors have more rules than all the MPs put together about receiving benefits - they just give up their time for very little allowance and then receive comments like that from people like you!
Posted by: Red Tape, Colchester on 11:00am Fri 28 Mar 08
So one might wonder what is the point in local councils ort elections at all if the rules are made elsewhere and the local representitives have no say in what happens? Maybe we should just scrap a whole tier in local government and work at a county & national level only. Far cheaper and at least we would know who was responsible for the decisions we all have to live with.
So one might wonder what is the point in local councils ort elections at all if the rules are made elsewhere and the local representitives have no say in what happens? Maybe we should just scrap a whole tier in local government and work at a county & national level only. Far cheaper and at least we would know who was responsible for the decisions we all have to live with.
Posted by: love colchester, Colchester on 2:08pm Fri 28 Mar 08
You would end up then with a local area like Prettygate being covered by someone who also covers the whole of Colchester. The whole purpose of a local Councillor is someone who is local, knows the area and knows the problems. It is amasing, for example, that Bob Russell was up in arms about a planning application in his road but he couldn't be bothered to help the people in Prettygate. But of course we should expect that as there was little publicity and a lot of work and he does not like that! Tory policy tis to bring back power to local elected Councillors and residents.
You would end up then with a local area like Prettygate being covered by someone who also covers the whole of Colchester. The whole purpose of a local Councillor is someone who is local, knows the area and knows the problems. It is amasing, for example, that Bob Russell was up in arms about a planning application in his road but he couldn't be bothered to help the people in Prettygate. But of course we should expect that as there was little publicity and a lot of work and he does not like that! Tory policy tis to bring back power to local elected Councillors and residents.
Posted by: Cliff, Colchester on 8:48pm Fri 28 Mar 08
That won't really do, Sue. A major development on Jarmin Road is hardly the same as a block of flats in Prettygate. Attacking Bob Russell won't help you stop the planning application.
That won't really do, Sue. A major development on Jarmin Road is hardly the same as a block of flats in Prettygate. Attacking Bob Russell won't help you stop the planning application.
Posted by: Skeemy, home on 9:32pm Fri 28 Mar 08
I thought the development was in lexden ?
I thought the development was in lexden ?
Posted by: Cliff, Colchester on 10:58pm Fri 28 Mar 08
No it's in Prettygate, but residents in the area like people to think they live in Lexden. It sounds better. And the Gazette's always getting wards wrong anyway.
No it's in Prettygate, but residents in the area like people to think they live in Lexden. It sounds better. And the Gazette's always getting wards wrong anyway.
Posted by: Red Tape, Colchester on 11:29pm Fri 28 Mar 08
What is the point in having a local councillor who knows the area and it's problems but has no power to do anything about them? This seems to constantly be the case as the decisions made locally are overturned at county level or by Westminster.
What is the point in having a local councillor who knows the area and it's problems but has no power to do anything about them? This seems to constantly be the case as the decisions made locally are overturned at county level or by Westminster.
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