The Week that ended.....30 Aug '15

So I have been to the outback for a week, with no newspapers or internet. It does have some advantages but when you come back it's catch up time.

The first thing that people have emailed me about and left messages about is the fact that the Tory's Government planning inspector has allowed "another" 600 houses (Approx.) for Standish, and that is on top of the 1100 houses that the Labour controlled Council allowed in just a few months ago.

The first issue was the Labour controlled Council said that they had to let in 1000 houses to stop any more houses coming to Standish. I said that was rubbish! They said that had they not, developers would have been running a mock and getting more and more houses in Standish. They said this master plan of theirs - called the Core Strategy - would cement stopping any more houses coming into Standish. This plan was the bee all and end all of plans and now it's proven to be useless.

With the developers now winning every time and the Council doing a rubbish job to try and stop it, it is time more was done by the council if they were genuine about stopping houses coming to Standish. However, residents are now asking if the Council's view of, we don't want houses in Standish!" was worth anything? They mean this because the Council's plan was just a flimsy defense in knowing that the developers would win. Then guess what, the Council can say don't blame us ( sounds like a TV show right there....lol ) but then they will get all the extra of millions and millions of pounds that this will generate knowing they can try and pass the blame on the Tory's.

I say the residents are hitting on this now and what I have said for years.

One thing that I know what the council hasn't told the people of Standish is, when it came to the Inquiry for these extra houses, the Council withdrew it's objection to these houses because of the road network couldn't cope. That's right, they didn't even object to because the roads can't cope. We all know that the roads can't cope but it seems the Council doesn't think so.

Now this decision by the planning inspector will now allow developers just to come and steam roll in and get more and more. What is now needed is a new water tight plan that works! A plan that looks at the issues and addresses them. One that reflects the views of the residents concerned. Will Labour do this? Not a chance - although I will be asking them too.

Now to the week ahead, and this decision makes it even more important, is the Ashfield Village Green Public Inquiry. If the Fields don't get Village Green protection then the developers will be back for them. The Council say they don't want to sell them or allow houses on them but an email has been discovered from a senior planning officer saying to the developers that the car park and play area must stay and it is only the fields that can be developed. Wonder why the Council hasn't told people this?

The Public Inquiry will last for 4 days and will be at the Town Hall in Wigan. Wigan Council refused to hold the public inquiry in Standish, wonder why?