Reporting Back: Planning Committee

Earlier in the month was the monthly meeting of Bury’s Planning Control Committee. This is the meeting made up of the 11 Councillors who represent the various wards of the borough of Bury. The committee determines planning applications for certain major developments and others where objections have been received. Councillor Cristina Tegolo reports:

Bury Planning Control Committee met remotely and the meeting was live streamed. A social-distanced site visit took place in respect of planning application 65569/Full.

At the Planning Control Committee meeting none of the submitted applications were refused but I commented on the following application:

Land at George Street, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 9WS. Application Ref: 65327/Full

We discussed an application for the redevelopment of the site for a mixed use comprising the erection of a synagogue and offices with associated parking, access and landscaping. 

The site had a previous consent for a mixed-use development of a synagogue and independent offices, access, car parking and landscaping which was granted in February 2017 (planning reference 60182) but this consent had lapsed.

In terms of siting, the proposed development would have a similar layout, set back into the site with a car park for 18 cars located in front from a newly created access which would be formed off George Street.

I expressed my concern about the siting of the proposed car park, for 18 cars, and asked for some assurances that there would be enough space in front to the main entrance doors to enter and exit the building safely. I also commented on the back elevation and I asked that a landscaping scheme should be put forward to soften the blank walls, at the street level of the rear elevation. 

My comments were taken on board. The planning department will seek for reassurances about the sighting of the carpark and the landscaping proposal will also address the rear elevation.

More information and the full papers for the meeting are here.

Ed Davey is the new Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Sir Ed Davey MP has been chosen by Liberal Democrat Party members in an election where more than 67,000 people voted.

On his election, Ed said:
“Our country is going through one of the most extraordinary and difficult periods for generations. The challenge of Covid will affect our country and the world for decades to come. Millions of people are suffering.

As Leader of the Liberal Democrats, I want to reach out to help you and your community get through this. Whether your concerns are your families’ health, your children’s education or your livelihood.”

He has made clear the Party must listen hard to voters and show them we’re on their side. He’s launching a National Listening Programme to do that. Here are some of the key things he said in his acceptance speech.

  • I am launching a National Listening Program from today so that voters can tell us what matters most to them. I will be travelling around to meet people. I want to spend time with all sorts of people and figure out where they are in their lives.
  • I want to understand how we can deliver more of what small business owners, nurses, teachers, parents, carers and communities really need. I want to get beyond Westminster.
  • I want to rebuild our connection to people so that we can help get through this terrible time together. That’s what the Listening Program is about.
  • Our job as a party is to represent people. My job as our leader is to move us forward. That means being able to speak for more people in this country and being able to make their concerns our own.
  • Our party has a great history of being a powerful, modern, principled and distinctive voice in British politics. We have to find a way to get back to that again.