Exeter Green Party has accused Labour of allowing developers to run circles round the Council, after a planning application, which was originally refused, has now been ‘deferred.’
The application for the development of the former Police Station on Heavitree Road into student accommodation and ‘co-living’ was refused by councillors on the planning committee on 5th September. However, at this week’s Planning Committee, the developer successfully persuaded Labour councillors to vote for a “deferral of the application in order to revise the proposals.”
Commenting on Labour’s U-turn, Green Party campaigner for Newtown and St Leonard’s, Andy Ketchin, said:
“Labour is allowing the developer to have a second bite of the cherry without needing to come back with a fresh application. It is a typical example of how Labour councillors are allowing developers to run circles round the Council while ignoring the very real concerns of local people.
“The application was turned down for a number of reasons including harm to the character of the area; harm to local facilities; loss of privacy and outlook of nearby residential properties and the loss of all trees on the site. These were very clear grounds for refusal. Why should the developers be given a second crack of the whip? Whose side is Labour on?”