John Fareham and John Abbott report that the Planning Inspectorate have visited the site of the proposed flats on the YPI car park.

It just so happened that we were in attendance there in connection with one of our pioneering and trailblazing mobile surgeries at the very same time the planning inspector was in attendance. We noted that the site was being assessed in terms of size and that, in accordance with the rules, representatives of both sides were in attendance. We of course were not allowed to go and bend the inspector’s ear – I’m on Planning Committee and John has been trained to stand in for me – but one thing that did very much concern us was that national rules mean no channel appeared to exist for local residents to say whether they felt this open space should be saved for all.  At all events, the officers tell us that the result of the appeal will be known in two to three weeks and when we know what it is, we will let you know what the Planning Inspectorate decided and on what grounds.