CAMPAIGNERS who narrowly lost a battle to protect the Medi Parc site by designating it a village green have hit out at the handling of their application.
In a surprise vote at a meeting on Tuesday last week, Hillingdon Council members voted 3-2 in favour of accepting an independent inspector’s recommendation to refuse the application.
Tina Wane, chairman of Save the Medi Parc Group, feels the councillors did not have enough background knowledge of the case to make an informed decision and is angry that a sixth councillor, whose decision could have hung the vote, did not attend.
“I think it’s a mockery,” she told the Gazette this week.
“The councillors were asked to vote on the report but had none of the supporting files.
“The vote was so close which has made it even harder for us. We’re very upset.”
She said two councillors asked to see photographs which were not available.
“I don’t feel the people in that room had enough knowledge of the situation because they weren’t involved in the application process,” she said.
To protect the land under village green law, the group had to prove that the site had been used for recreation across a 20-year period.
This led to an unprecedented 12-day public inquiry, during which landowner Comer Homes was represented by a QC.
“We felt like we were in a court of law, but none of us have any legal knowledge,” said Mrs Wane.
“We vote these councillors in to ensure we have democracy, then they are just brought in to rubber stamp something they know nothing about.”
Hillingdon Council said the councillors were satisfied they had enough information to make the decision.
A spokeswoman confirmed a councillor had been late and did not make the meeting, but even if he had voted against the inspector’s recommendation, the chairman would have a casting vote so his absence did not invalidate the decision.
“Full details of the agenda and minutes can be found online,” said the spokeswoman.
“The committee were satisfied that they had enough information upon which to make an informed decision.”
Mrs Wane said she has seen architects and utility company staff at the site, in Hill End Road, in recent days, and expects Comer Homes to put in a planning application soon.
Her group will fight any application on the basis the land is in the green belt, adjacent to a Site of Special Scientific Interest and in Colne Valley Park.
