THE chief executive of East Hampshire District Council has responded to criticism over the handling of an application to build 207 houses at Chase Road in Lindford. As reported in The Herald, members of Lindford Parish Council, Whitehill Town Council and local action group SOIL (Stop over-development in Lindford), questioned some of the practices that led to planning permission being granted. The application was initially rejected at a special north planning meeting held in January, but was referred to full council by the former head of planning at EHDC, where it was given the go ahead. Chief executive Will Godfrey said: "The correct legal advice was given to Adam Carew and Don Mayes at last month's full council meeting, and the correct procedures were followed in allowing the recommended number of speakers. "However, it is understandable that people - some councillors included - can feel frustrated at the limitations imposed on them by planning law. Planning law requires that councillors make objective planning decisions based on planning grounds only, and without prejudice. "If a councillor expresses an opinion either individually or as part of an organisation prior to the meeting, he or she is seen to have an interest." He continued: "Their connections with the Deadwater Valley Trust, which had expressed an opinion on the Chase Road site in time for the council meeting, were the declared interests that led Mr Carew and Mr Mayes to choose to leave the debate after hearing the legal advice given by the council's strategic manager Michael Lawther." "The reason that the same advice was not given at the earlier meeting of the north planning sub committee was that the Deadwater Valley Trust had not lodged its objections at that time. Until the organisation's views were reported to the council there were no interests for councillor's to declare." He then added: "In respect of Faith Thomas, the mayor of Whitehill, who wished to speak at the meeting, the council's rules for public representation is a limit of three on any one item. The rules were relaxed to allow a fourth speaker at planning north - but the rules were strictly observed by Ken Graham as chairman at the full council." He concluded: "The Chase Road issue was a difficult decision that inspired passionate debate but the advice given and the procedures followed were correct under planning law."
