EAST Hampshire District Council planners have been given a rap over the knuckles by Petersfield Town Council.
On Tuesday chairman of the town councilÕs planning committee George Watkinson said he had been Òimmensely upsetÓ to discover that the town councilÕs efforts to make sure The American Pie restaurant could not be turned into a takeaway , had been thwarted.
Town councillors had objected to an application from the owners of the restaurant at 28 High Street for retrospective change of use from retail and restaurant to restaurant use.
They believed by objecting they could ensure that the premises did not end up as a takeaway.
Mr Watkinson told fellow members of the planning committee this week: ÒI told the planners we objected to stop it becoming a takeaway only to be told by the solicitor Ôyou are too late you approved that when it was first mootedÕÓ.
ÒWe were given bad information by East Hampshire District Council at the start of this application,Ó he added.
Now town councillors are to write to planning officers at EHDC pointing out that Òa few errorsÓ had been detected.
Councillor Brian Dutton suggested that the letter should be copied to the chief executive and the legal department at EHDC.
Mr Watkinson also told town councillors that amended plans for the retail park in Station Road had been received too late as the application had already been discussed at EHDC.
In addition East Hampshire planners had sent Petersfield councillors plans concerning Stroud: ÒWe sent them back because the plans were not in our area,Ó said Mr Watkinson, Òand eventually EHDC admitted it was not ours.Ó
Mr Watkinson was further annoyed because the town council received Òvery late in the dayÓ a plan for Petersfield which had been sent to Headley parish councillors by mistake.
ÒIÕm going to be very polite,Ó Mr Watkinson told councillors, Òbut I shall point out that these things are going wrong and see if they are doing anything about it.Ó