Sale of Whitehaven Golf Course

Whitehaven Golf Course was sold by Copeland Council in 2006 before I was elected to the council.

I have some serious concerns about the way the planning issues relating to this site were handled by both Copeland Council and Cumbria County council, particularly the enforcement of the conditions on the original planning application.

When planning conditions are imposed they should be enforced. I would not say that retrospective amendments should never be approved, but they should be considered carefully, and in a transparent way, because they have the potential to bring the whole planning process, including both councils and developers, into disrepute.

A number of issues were posted in the comments section of this blog relating to the sale of the site. I am still asking questions about these, but it may help if I make it clear that

1) There has been a complaint to the District Auditor about the sale if the golf course, from a member of the public.

2) One of the documents requested by the complainant was, in the opinion of the council's officers, covered by one of the exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act. The officers therefore declined to show this document to the complainant, but they did show it to the District Auditor.

3) Council officers assure me that they have given the District Auditor all the information which he has requested.

4) The Auditor's investigation is still in process and he has indicated that he has another interview to do before he completes his inquiries.

Obviously those who have been following this saga will be interested to see what the Auditor has to say. Regardless of the outcome of the complaint to the auditor, there will, in my opinion, be some important learning points for the council about the history of this site.

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