Surrey County Council's application for changes to the conditions attached to the Eco Park planning permission is to be heard by Spelthorne Planning Committee on Wednesday 18th December. (see article of 19th November).
It will be remembered that Spelthorne Council strongly opposed this original proposal when it considered the application on 26th January 2011, and confirmed their objection on 29th June 2011; but despite this and numerous objections from residents, permission for the Eco Park was nevertheless granted by Surrey County Council to itself on 15th March 2012. Section 73 Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which is the subject of this statutory consultation, provides a procedure for 'minor material' alterations to the original plan to be considered and approved; and provides a formal mechanism for so doing without the need to reconsider the application in its entirety.
It's important to note that the Local Planning Authority cannot re-consider the whole permission or re-open a debate on the matter. As a consultee, Spelthorne Council is constrained in the same way and can only reach a view on the amendments. It is nevertheless our view, and the Council's Planning Officers', that a number of amendments being proposed go beyond the definition of 'minor material' alterations and we are very pleased to see that at the time of going to print no fewer than 335 letters/emails of objection have been received by Spelthorne Council.
