prince wrote:Eight months and counting and yet still no decision from the Local planning authority on what should be a simple change of use.
This is now four times longer than it should take to determine the application.
Well this is now expected. I'll contact Nando's for some info and send it to Cllr Best.
Hi Syd,
I have contacted Nandos and they are as much in the dark as we are. It is very frustrating that the planning officer does not respond to correspondence about this and nor do two of our locally elected ward members. To be fair Cllr Chris Best has responded. The last correspondence was three weeks ago when she said officers were working hard to try and resolve this issue.
prince wrote:Eight months and counting and yet still no decision from the Local planning authority on what should be a simple change of use.
This is now four times longer than it should take to determine the application.
Well this is now expected. I'll contact Nando's for some info and send it to Cllr Best.
Hi Syd,
I have contacted Nandos and they are as much in the dark as we are. It is very frustrating that the planning officer does not respond to correspondence about this and nor do two of our locally elected ward members. To be fair Cllr Chris Best has responded. The last correspondence was three weeks ago when she said officers were working hard to try and resolve this issue.
Hey thanks for the update Prince. It's outrageous that this could be held up for so long, something stinks. And when I read about the social cleansing of Deptford and the complete lack of interest in Sydenham, Lewisham councillors have got away with too much for too long.
syd wrote:Hey thanks for the update Prince. It's outrageous that this could be held up for so long, something stinks. And when I read about the social cleansing of Deptford and the complete lack of interest in Sydenham, Lewisham councillors have got away with too much for too long.
Well you either infiltrate the Sydenham Labour Party and replace them, or get another party to beat them - or you have to work with them however imperfect.
I prefer the latter. Perhaps I'm not just not ambitious enough. And if you really wish to change their minds or open up options - is insulting them a smart move? - you might expect the same response as when you criticise your partner's driving.
I was going to start a new thread Sydenham, Paradise Lost? Well I might just do that when I've come up with a solution. I'm still struggling. Its much easier to criticise others.
syd wrote:Hey thanks for the update Prince. It's outrageous that this could be held up for so long, something stinks. And when I read about the social cleansing of Deptford and the complete lack of interest in Sydenham, Lewisham councillors have got away with too much for too long.
Well you either infiltrate the Sydenham Labour Party and replace them, or get another party to beat them - or you have to work with them however imperfect.
I prefer the latter. Perhaps I'm not just not ambitious enough. And if you really wish to change their minds or open up options - is insulting them a smart move? - you might expect the same response as when you criticise your partner's driving.
I was going to start a new thread Sydenham, Paradise Lost? Well I might just do that when I've come up with a solution. I'm still struggling. Its much easier to criticise others.
Stuart
The pretending to be Essex, London Borough of Havering has the Havering Residents Association and the East Havering Residents Association. The politics is bizarre there however, they are a powerful force in the Borough Council, with 24 councillors being part the Associations or Independent, whilst in Lewisham 53 out of 54 are Labour. A version for the Lewisham and Bromley wards of Sydenham or Borough wide versions isn't impossible. In fact, with the right publicity, it could have a massive impact.
Pally wrote:Planning officers not responding could just be because of complete overload and understaffing I suppose - cutbacks in Local Authorities biting!!
I work for a local authority Pally and we have 10 working days to respond to requests from residents. I am currently managing four major regeneration areas and I always manage to respond within this timeframe.
I also don't think there is any excuse for our democratically elected local councillors not to respond to questions by residents. What are they elected for otherwise?
Can it be made public the email address for other residents to follow up and apply pressure to get clarification and ideally a resolution this side of Xmas ?
Pally wrote:Planning officers not responding could just be because of complete overload and understaffing I suppose - cutbacks in Local Authorities biting!!
I work for a local authority Pally and we have 10 working days to respond to requests from residents. I am currently managing four major regeneration areas and I always manage to respond within this timeframe.
I also don't think there is any excuse for our democratically elected local councillors not to respond to questions by residents. What are they elected for otherwise?
I agree. My comment was only linked to that (understaffing) as a possibility rather than anything sinister. Having said that, comments earlier in the thread seemed to suggest that someone (no idea who !) is deliberately blocking in order to get "something more suitable"!!! I haven't trawled back to find the comment but am still pondering on who that is supposed to be .
rustya wrote:Can it be made public the email address for other residents to follow up and apply pressure to get clarification and ideally a resolution this side of Xmas ?
I'm sorry that you feel disappointed with the Council's handling of this application.
I'm not sure if you are aware that we have supported the principle of change of use here to Nando's, recognising that it would bring vacant units back into active use and hopefully attract greater footfall to this part of the town centre and hopefully spur on regeneration. We were ready to approve the application in May. However, upon sharing the proposed conditions with the applicant, they requested that we postpone issuing the decision so that they could provide details of takeaway use as this would otherwise have been precluded given the site's position on a busy junction. We have been in active discussion with the applicant since then, resulting in further information being submitted up to the 1st November. Highways Officers confirmed last week that they were satisfied with the scheme on the basis of that latest information and mitigation proposed. On that basis I have completed my report today and it is expected that the decision will be issued this week.
I'm sorry that you feel disappointed with the Council's handling of this application.
I'm not sure if you are aware that we have supported the principle of change of use here to Nando's, recognising that it would bring vacant units back into active use and hopefully attract greater footfall to this part of the town centre and hopefully spur on regeneration. We were ready to approve the application in May. However, upon sharing the proposed conditions with the applicant, they requested that we postpone issuing the decision so that they could provide details of takeaway use as this would otherwise have been precluded given the site's position on a busy junction. We have been in active discussion with the applicant since then, resulting in further information being submitted up to the 1st November. Highways Officers confirmed last week that they were satisfied with the scheme on the basis of that latest information and mitigation proposed. On that basis I have completed my report today and it is expected that the decision will be issued this week.
Woohoo!! Well done to everyone who made the council answer us
I'm sorry that you feel disappointed with the Council's handling of this application.
I'm not sure if you are aware that we have supported the principle of change of use here to Nando's, recognising that it would bring vacant units back into active use and hopefully attract greater footfall to this part of the town centre and hopefully spur on regeneration. We were ready to approve the application in May. However, upon sharing the proposed conditions with the applicant, they requested that we postpone issuing the decision so that they could provide details of takeaway use as this would otherwise have been precluded given the site's position on a busy junction. We have been in active discussion with the applicant since then, resulting in further information being submitted up to the 1st November. Highways Officers confirmed last week that they were satisfied with the scheme on the basis of that latest information and mitigation proposed. On that basis I have completed my report today and it is expected that the decision will be issued this week.
Thanks Rustya, I finally got a very similarly worded email yesterday from the planning officer.
I intend to join Owlwise in doing a conga around Cobbs corner when the planning decision notice has finally been issued.
This pocket of Sydenham should encourage other units to come in and help lift the area
We need to gain publicity now.
Anyone out there who wants to spread the word IF the approval is granted?
I was in Nando's the other day and I threw caution to the wind and went off-piste, ordering chicken livers rather than the usual Churasco Thigh Burger (a comfort-food staple). I was expecting to deeply regret said decision. But they were genuinely delicious, particularly good accompanied by a salad. Reminded me more of good Tuscan rural cuisine than your usual high-street chain fare.