Jackson's Corner - to be a new "restaurant quarter"?

[Bannock]

Interesting development.

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/counc ... n-reading/

I assume the officer(s) responsible will not get any Christmas bonus this year.

“affordable housing” - in the Jacksons Corner site?

Why not? From the article:

"The development includes conversion of the upper floors to 18 residential units, construction of new five-storey residential block of 15 units and retention and enlargement of the commercial space."

Some of that could (should) be "affordable".

[piwacket]

Why not? From the article:

Why not indeed

[ReadingBiker]

He will get a backhander from the developer.

I second that.

Given the large number of Planning applications that the council has to process it’s hardly surprising that there won’t be some mistakes, even serious ones like this, but it is simply mischievous and libellous to accuse them of corruption.

I was involved in one Wokingham not Reading where despite us flagging up major technical issues with the plan (the base measurements of the frontage of the site in the plan had gained 2m(from 4.5 to 6.5m) which meant it looked far less cramped when fitting an extra house into the plot), the scheme was approved as although we had been given one deadline (extended by 6 days to allow the local council meeting to take place and input into the process) they had "forgotten" to mark the extension on the correct internal calendar so it went through on the nod under delegated powers with no scrutiny despite the local council having "called it in", as they started some work the following morning we were told no chance of it being rescinded. When we asked how come the planning officers had not noticed the wrong dimensions when checking against the OS map etc, there were loads of excuses about changing members of staff & temps etc and an admittance nobody from the planning dept had actually visited the site since 6 yrs previous when an initial outline permission was requested (and denied) - it is obvious that many planning depts have either a lot of incompetence or a degree of collusion/corruption with developers

[Pooneil]

Based on an acquaintance's dealings with them, I suspect there may be a mixture of incompetence and overwork/understaffing. I doubt the salary is great compaed to something similar in the private sector (meaning it preferentially attracts the less competent) and having bad colleagues and too much work and too little support tends to encourage the more competent to move on.

[MickEdge]

it is obvious that many planning depts have either a lot of incompetence or a degree of collusion/corruption with developers

Whilst your conclusion about incompetence, based on your example and current staffing problems seems reasonable, I don’t see a justification for that about corruption. I suspect the actual number of corruption cases, which lead to convictions or dismissals are very low in this country, because when they do occur they are reported nationally.

Corruption in local authority planning departments has been a good plot line in books, TV and films (remember Chinatown), but that doesn’t mean it’s common.

There is a risk that planners who need to spend a lot of time with developers will get to know them well and might find it hard to be completely objective, but I am sure planning departments are well aware of this and instill the dangers into their staff.

The tens of millions of pounds and more at stake in large developments means builders can afford highly skilled and experienced advisors. A problem that should be addressed is that the money available to developers far outweighs what a hard pressed local authority can allocate.

[OLDMAN]

To have any corruption in planning it would need to involve / include a majority of the committee

Seeing as RBC has a Chair / VC, 11 members and 2 administrators its difficult to see how that could happen

And I know 6 of the current ones!

Human error on paperwork is often the problem but sometimes its just down to stupidity / not thinking straight

Green Rd Mosque was a great example – land was sold to the Mosque group for peanuts and planning granted even though many objections / reasons against it!
Then nothing happened
Planning ran out but was re-admitted and granted as an extension to the original
It was then pointed out the extension was illegal (and they got threatened with a court action) due to the amount of years passed on the old one, the fat ‘nothing’ had been done during that time and as the whole areas demographics had changed (GR being made 1-way over the years and flats being built were a huge difference) plus the old one ran out completely months before the re-admittance – so a full new plan had to be made

So, an all-round cock-up on planning’s part!

A new application didn’t happen so RBC got the land back – and we are still waiting to see what will happen with it!

[ReadingBiker]

it is obvious that many planning depts have either a lot of incompetence or a degree of collusion/corruption with developers

Whilst your conclusion about incompetence, based on your example and current staffing problems seems reasonable, I don’t see a justification for that about corruption. I suspect the actual number of corruption cases, which lead to convictions or dismissals are very low in this country, because when they do occur they are reported nationally.

Corruption in local authority planning departments has been a good plot line in books, TV and films (remember Chinatown), but that doesn’t mean it’s common.

There is a risk that planners who need to spend a lot of time with developers will get to know them well and might find it hard to be completely objective, but I am sure planning departments are well aware of this and instill the dangers into their staff.

The tens of millions of pounds and more at stake in large developments means builders can afford highly skilled and experienced advisors. A problem that should be addressed is that the money available to developers far outweighs what a hard pressed local authority can allocate.

That is why i said incompetence OR corruption - I actually said the same to them when they told me there was nothing differently they could have done and seemed to not even be willing to admit they might have made an error. It is actually the arrogance of a lot of people in planning who feel that as soon as they decide something it must be 100% correct and no mere mortal member of the public could have a valid point of contention which gets my goat up. The Green Rd mosque was actually another example of this - the council (Reading this time) were convinced they were right until the end

As for collusion - you only have to look at the current and very public Westminster planning / hospitality scandal - whilst people are innocent until proven guilty it is hard to think he was able to remain totally impartial in his decisions - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45815856

[Melchett]

More incompetence from this council. Just how many more examples do we need before we can call them consistently incompetent? ( Looks at Whitespirit ).

[Pooneil]

More incompetence from this council. Just how many more examples do we need before we can call them consistently incompetent? ( Looks at Whitespirit ).

Actually, if you want a cracking example of incompetence, read this story about how Flintshire Council removed a resident's car from his parking space at his flats and had it crushed because they deemed it to have been abandoned. Truth be told, it's a heady mix of incompetence and efficiency, since they managed to deem it as abandoned and then removed it and crushed it all within 3 days whilst he was in hospital...

[Melchett]

More incompetence from this council. Just how many more examples do we need before we can call them consistently incompetent? ( Looks at Whitespirit ).

Actually, if you want a cracking example of incompetence, read this story about how Flintshire Council removed a resident's car from his parking space at his flats and had it crushed because they deemed it to have been abandoned. Truth be told, it's a heady mix of incompetence and efficiency, since they managed to deem it as abandoned and then removed it and crushed it all within 3 days whilst he was in hospital...

Blimey. Trouble is when things like this happen it's always a huge inconvenience to find a similar car, with similar mileage and in the same good condition (assuming he looked after it). Some silly idiot hit my dad head on because they cut the corner on a bendy road. My dad struggled for months to find a similar car of good condition and mileage with the measly pay out from the insurance. In the end he had to plump for a slightly older car and different make. And of course, even though it may have full service history, you're never quite sure if it's been maintained properly than you do, if you've owned the car from new.

[GaryyHill]

I might apply for a job in the planning department just to see how it really works! I might earn more money too from back handers from developers lol
I'm always perplexed how theres no consistency in decision making.

They really need to get a move on with the development as its becoming an eyesore.

[Melchett]

They really need to get a move on with the development

LOL. You must be new around here.

See prison site for a prime example.

[Ollycat]

Only 1 unit remaining for rent - and much activity to the rear...

Wonder who's moving in?

[bert]

Looking forward to finding out who is moving in...and also to having the full pavement back outside! Getting to the library with the kids on a weekend when the bus stops are busy is a hassle.

[jonbryce]

They really need to get a move on with the development

LOL. You must be new around here.

See prison site for a prime example.

Or the Bristol & West Arcade. Or Station Hill / Friars Walk.

[Lizzy33]

The hoardings are beginning to be removed. No signs of which companies are moving in yet.