Objections to green land ‘disposal’ futile
L12-1199 2/10/12 Land to the rear of Roebuck Close, Farley Hill. Plans to build housing. wk 40 CP JX
A Luton councillor is “incensed” by plans to give council land to a housing developer, regardless of residents’ objections.
As reported in our sister paper the Herald & Post, the council has given notice of intention to dispose of land at Roebuck Close and Bradley Road to Catalyst Housing Group, who will build 150 houses on it.
Residents are invited to object to the disposal of the land, but a spokesperson said the council will pursue the necessary means to obtain permission for disposal, no matter how many objections there are.
Conservative Councillor Gilbert Campbell said: “I want it to be known that the executive of the council in Luton have got the right, regardless of how many objections by the people of Luton, to give away the land – green space – for whatever they see fit.”
Councilllor Campbell says he was also told by the council that even if there were 10,000 objections to the disposal, it would mean nothing.
Planning permission has been granted for the building, and it will go ahead regardless.
The Bramingham ward councillor, who has lived in Luton since 1972, said: “I am so incensed with it because we are losing so much green space in Luton. All the green space is in the hands of the executive. They’ve put two little ads on page 40-odd of the newspaper about this disposal of land, giving only two weeks notice. I didn’t even know this was the process. Due to the fact there was so much aggravation at the planning meeting I thought they would take a more sympathetic view, but it looks like it’s a done deal regardless of how much people might object to it.
“You get only two and a half weeks to give your objection in writing, and then the executive can just totally ignore it anyway.
“This is really upsetting me. I’ve seen a lot of changes in Luton, but we can’t just keep building on green land - next we’ll be building on the cricket and football pitches. But what’s the point in objecting when the executive can just totally and utterly ignore you? Luton will end up a concrete jungle.”
The housing developments are part of the New Homes for Luton project which the council say is “absolutely essential” to provide affordable housing.
A spokesperson said: “Both schemes will keep a significant amount of the open space and there will be investment in improving the space retained to make the areas more accessible and safer for local people.”
Residents have until Friday to object to the land disposal.
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Saturday 18 May 2013
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