The ongoing planning debacle

A twofer this week.

The Wyre Forest Crematorium built adjacent to the Firs Industrial Estate on Minster Road apparently needs a roundabout. As I say there, given the level of planning needed by stores when they abut onto major highways why didn't this come to light at the initial application in 2008? Perhaps alternatives may have been available prior to building a slip road that is only really accessible from one direction.

And the second is our old friend the Gypsy/Traveller/Travelling Showpeople (GTTS) in which we learn that district officers are planning on recommended another four sites to the 7-strong shortlist that itself will have four sites removed from it at the non-declared meeting that is allegedly being held on the 16th.

Amazingly enough the three remaining Stourport sites will be joined by four more Stourport sites with the result that six of them will now be in the one locality. But hey at least we the public have had a say in the matter and the fact that not as many people complained about the Sandy Lane sites compared to the other sites obviously means that the 'public' are in favour of this.

I mean ignore the fact that the majority of the site is industrial and therefore did not receive any notices about this or get the Shuttle delivered to them; that the industrial sites although large are relatively low in numbers compared to residential areas; that the majority of actual residents are GTTS already; and that even when the majority of their own experts recommend refusal the council still hands out permission. Then yes ignoring all that the results are clear that everyone wants them to be located on this site.

Oh and of course as these additional sites were asked for by residents I guess there's no need to put them out for public consultation as the 'public' have already spoken.

[Update - according to Fran there will be another "period of consultation". Yay another waste of our money given that these sites should have been on the original Baker's Associate report given that they were recommended by residents and that's a group they should have spoken to]