Your editorial and letter pages seem to be full of problems and complaints surrounding the planning process in Hillingdon.
We've heard from the Ickenham Residents Association (IRA), who informed us that democracy was now dead because their opinions regarding the development of RAF West Ruislip were not taken on board by the planning committee and the building works, as recommended and unanimously approved by the committee, will now go ahead.
We also heard from Councillor Anita McDonald, a member of that same planning committee, who has resigned in protest at the decision to rescind a previous planning approval for a nursery in Rectory Way, again in Ickenham.
Councillor Mike Cox wrote about the possibility of illegal political pressure being applied to the planning committee regarding this matter.
Bearing in mind that Ickenham ward councillors rely on votes from the IRA and, as two of them actually lead the council, we are left wondering if Mr Cox is correct.
A recent Gazette contained two other letters, one from the applicant of the Rectory Way nursery [Nursery u-turn a huge shock, Letters, January 14], who describes her dismay at having her dreams shattered by the strange and, as Mr Cox wrote, possibly illegal decision to cancel her previously approved planning application.
The second letter was from Cllr Dave Allam [Nursery move was improper, date as above], a long standing member of the same committee, who expanded on the comments made by Mr Cox the previous week.
Mr Allam informs us that he's made an official complaint about the three councillors who voted to rescind the Rectory Way nursery application.
The latest casualty is Councillor Bruce Baker, the well respected planning committee chairman, who has now resigned from the committee [Second councillor resigns as nursery row continues, Gazette, January 21].
Could this have anything to do with this debacle, or maybe the RAF West Ruislip decision that so upset the IRA? I am now very concerned that pressure may be applied with regard to the new planning application just across the road at Ruislip Golf Club [Fury on the greens, Ruislip and Northwood Gazette, January 14].
This proposal is for the development of an enormous TopGolf entertainment centre to replace the current golf driving and practice range.
This development will extend over at least two fairways and will devastate the well loved and popular golf course, including a large section of the Green Belt.
How on earth can Andrew Malin, the deputy director of planning and community services, say with a straight face that a comprehensive review of golf services was recently undertaken, and that he hopes to 'ensure the service provided is of the highest quality', when he makes quite clear his support for this unpopular development?
As the head of his department posted a notice on the proposed site on January 9, to the effect that this 'proposed development does not accord with the provisions of the development plan in the area in which the land to which the application relates is situated', it would appear that there is some serious difference of opinion in the planning department.
PAT LOMAX,
Lady Captain, Ruislip Golf Course, Ickenham Road, Ruislip.
