Footpath diversion proposal

Copeland Councl's planning panel met today. They considered a number of planning applications, and were asked to comment on an application to Cumbria County Council to make permanent the diversion of a public footpath in the vicinity of Whitehaven Golf Course.

Copeland's planning panel decided not to raise objections to the proposed diversion, which will go to the County council for a final decision.

I have suggested that the county should consider imposing conditions to ensure that any costs of this diversion should be borne by the developer and not the taxpayer.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Chris

A diversion is not necessary.
We have already had one Public Inquiry for a virtually identical diversion to the one proposed here, it was refused by the Planning Inspectorate because it 'was not in the interests of the public'. The public interest cannot be just be ignored, it is a public right of way.

As you know the landowner, Western Lakes Ltd’s has engaged in illegal activities that deliberately breach their planning conditions, deliberately break the law, and are deliberately detrimental to public safety.

Clearly all that is required is for Copeland BC to take enforcement action against Western Lakes Ltd’s but for two years now they repeatedly refuse to do so.

Cumbria CC’s solution to Western Lakes Ltd breaking the law and causing a danger to the public is to ban the public from using the highway.

Think about that Chris, the innocent party, that’s 60+ million of us are being penalised for the illegal activities of the landowner! That’s not right. Cumbria CC’s actions are a corruption of the law and entirely contrary to their Statutory Duties; that’s why they got a mug from CapitaSymonds to sign the first closure notices.

Lord Justice Lane put the Law succinctly – “The local authority must at all times act with the object of protecting the highway and of preventing or removing any obstruction, and, more broadly speaking, of promoting the interests of those who enjoy the highway or should be enjoying the highway and the CC must likewise operate against the interests of those who seek to interrupt such enjoyment of the highway.”

He did not add the proviso that this does not apply in Cumbria.

So here in Copeland we have both Copeland BC and Cumbria CC totally out of control, blatantly corrupting procedure, corrupting the law, working undemocratically and against the Public Interest.


Chris, you do a lot of talking about but let’s see if you will put your money where your mouth is.

Will you a prospective Conservative MP demand democratic accountability for Copeland Borough Council's actions over the illegal Golf Driving Range?

Will you ensure that the breach of Planning Control is put before the Planning Panel at the next monthly meeting?

If you can’t, won’t try and restore trust in the legitimacy of local government then your ideas of restore trust in Politicians and government nationally is just a pipe dream.
Chris Whiteside said…
I'm sorry, but just about every single statement in that very long comment is wrong.

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