News from Plymouth Labour

Plymouth Labour: Cattedown blighted by casting vote of Planning Committee Chair

Labour members of the Planning Committee condemned the decision today to refuse planning permission for the development of Neptune Park in Cattedown that would have brought much needed employment opportunities for Plymouth.

The site, on land reclaimed from the river estuary, is regarded as a key part of the East End Regeneration programme. If consent had been given it would have provided upwards of 500 jobs and an investment in excess of £34 million.

Cllr Nicky Wildy said, “It is all the more galling that the decision to refuse this application was taken on the casting vote of Cllr John Lock, the Chair of Planning. His decision effectively puts a blight on the whole area.”

Cllr Wildy added: “We could have made a courageous and visionary decision today. Although this site is in a known flood zone and the fire at Buncefield was high on our list of concerns for the safety of those who will work there, we looked long and hard at the very detailed health and safety considerations as well as the social and economic benefits. Our own health and safety officers told us that there are sufficient state-of-the-art safeguards in place.

“It is right and proper that officers should be cautious but it is the role of elected members to show courage and have vision. We are obliged to consider the balance. If we accepted every note of caution offered by health and safety officers, we would have miles and miles of sterile land where no work or economic activity was ever possible. Risk is something we face every day. How we assess and manage risk is what matters. John Lock and his fellow Conservatives have chosen the route of timidity and blight. The knock-on effect on present buildings like the award winning TR2 remains to be seen but all Labour members of the committee believe that this is a decision that fails Plymouth.”