To the Council Offices in Knowle Green last evening (25 October) for the first pow-wow between residents’ associations and the new Sexton Paramount Chieftaincy. Sat next to her was her deputy, Little Chief Running Horse.

At one stage the discussion turned to the topic of predatory development – a topic of much interest these days as the Borough flounders with no valid Local Plan, raising the severe risk that sites in the Borough – whether Green Belt of Brownfield, large or small – will be prey to predatory development, or planning-by-appeal.

Little Chief Running Horse said:

“Last week the Planning Committee considered the Running Horse application [where a developer wishes to build a retirement complex on Green Belt – our comment].  I can assure you that the Local Plan has nothing to do with that application.”

We beg to differ, Little Chief. As we and others pointed out last evening, predatory development, or planning-by-appeal, takes place at a higher tribunal, when, if the Borough Planning Committee refuses an application, the developer takes it on Appeal to an Inspector citing the lack of a valid Local Plan, and therefore the inability of the Council to prove a five-year supply of land. It is no use hiding behind the Borough Planning Committee. It hasn’t happened yet for the Running Horse site, but we wouldn’t bet against it.

And the reason we say that is because the developer threatens to do it in their application.

Little Chief, please read the document:

Assessment of Spelthorne’s Five Year Housing Land Supply For Senior Living (Sunbury-On-Thames) Limited

which is publicly available on the Council’s website. This is a document written by one of the developer’s consultants and submitted as part of the application. You will find it illuminating reading, not least the following paragraph 1.3 which we reproduce here for your convenience:

Dear Little Chief, you are a member of the Planning Committee, and should really have read the application documents before making a decision on it. You really need to up your game and provide better answers than you did.