Thread by @brucemcd23

Let's Restore Trust and Fix This Mess - 🧵

Local People here are hugely disappointed about a planning inspector's decision to overturn EBC's decision to refuse an application at one of most sensitive sites you could ever imagine

Opposite Unesco listed Hampton Court Palace 1/

You might hope for a world class arrival experience when you arrive at Hampton Court Station

But that's not what greets you . And the scheme which the inspector has allowed doesn't measure up to what a world renowned visitor destination deserves 2/
getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-ne…

Over 1,800 residents objected to this scheme. As Surrey Live records the scheme was refused by Elmbridge Borough Council's planning committee 12 months ago on the grounds it had "excessive height and bulk" and would cause "harm to numerous heritage assets" in the area.
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Hampton Court Rescue Campaign (HCRC) argued that the development, planned for what used to be part of a royal hunting park at the time of Henry VIII, would spoil views of his famous former home across the river, Hampton Court Palace.
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However the inspector, ruled "the height of the proposed elevations would not appear disproportionate or overbearing in this setting". He said "whilst there would be some change to the setting of the palace and its associated heritage assets, that change would not be harmful”
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As one Elmbridge resident said to Surrey Live about the Inspector’s most unwelcome decision ,reflecting a generally held view : “the development was being allowed against all wishes of the local community”.
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Went on to say residents' disappointment at inspector’s verdict was "shared by all of us at Elmbridge Council that campaigned successfully for the initial planning refusal”.
He was surprised because "the Council did a very professional job of defending our refusal at appeal”.7/

What we really don’t need right now are misleading claims as we deal with the shock of the inspector's unwelcome decision allow the development at Hampton Court Station

But sadly that's what's happening 8/

What adds to the bitter disappointment of the Inspector’s decision is that Conservative Councillors and the MP are now seeking to blame the Council for it. In particular, they claim if the new Local Plan was in place the outcome would have been different.9/

Blaming the Council - which it's generally agreed ,with the local groups opposed to the scheme, did a good job of presenting a strong case- is a desperate attempt to score a political point. The Conservatives are clutching at a straw and trying to beat the Council with it. 10/

The Council has been able to win its case in previous appeals notwithstanding the claim made by the Conservatives. For instance, EBC decision to refuse the Jockey Club’s application at Sandown was upheld. In fact it was the same Inspector as considered the Jolly Boatman case.
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The government's planning system isn't working for Local People. We put forward a strong case at Appeal.

Councillors considered the harm arising from the scheme outweighed the benefits.

The Inspector decided the opposite.
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Let Local People decide .

Not the Government's Inspectors.
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The Conservatives talk about restoring trust at the same time as grinding out the same old false claims . It’s the Conservative government which introduced the Housing Targets which have created the pressure on the Green Belt up and down the country.
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Elmbridge is the first Council to break new ground by setting an exemplar for how to do a Local Plan in an area like ours.

We are leading the way - not lagging behind like the Conservatives claim.

Our plea to everyone is to Love Elmbridge and Back the Plan .
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And to the Conservatives we say start restoring trust by stopping desperate attempt to blame others.

The Conservative government created the mess.

We - the RA's and Lib Dem Administration of Elmbridge Borough Council -are trying to fix it.
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Join us in our project to restore trust, tackle the cost of living crisis , build energy security, and grow our economy .

There's a huge task ahead of us .Let's get on with it.

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#TimetoChange

And a footnote on Dominic Raab MP

Pictured in the thread below with the founder of the company which did the PR for the Hampton Court Station scheme

Which the Council turned down

But which an inspector has allowed 🤔

https://twitter.com/robinastephens/status/1550950783104983040