| Topic: | Limted LA powers | |
| Posted by: | Peter Evans | |
| Date/Time: | 02/02/20 18:25:00 |
| So it seems as if the power of local authorities to determine the look and shape of a community is actually very limited and that the application and interpretation of planning regulations is what matters. That's maybe not so surprising, for throughout history, the look of our buildings has often been the visible result of our regulations. Recessed 'Georgian' sash windows, for example, were an answer to the ban on protruding and overhanging woodwork that we all learned at school was such a fire risk in those days - until inflammable external cladding came along - but I digress! So even if we want them to, I doubt if local councillors can turn something down because it 'looks horrible' or isn't what they'd rather see built on a site. Local councils are also so financially and legally constrained that they can't really build anything for themselves and have to enter into 'constructive partnerships' ('dodgy deals' to some) with commercial developers to get anything built at all. Which is why I guess councillors go to Cannes each year to try and cajole the big developers into building some stuff in Hounslow, or over here in Ealing, or take no notice of them, Hammersmith is the place! It was easy to be misled by those early outline proposals for redeveloping Brentford, with lots of this and a nice couple of those and a brand new replacement that, without realising that we'd be totally reliant on some commercial entity coming along and actually building it at their expense. No wonder it took 20 years and a lot of people don't like it - unless they'd rather look at the same derelict site for another 20 years. Of course, what people really want is something nicer and better, but the present system just doesn't seem to allow it. Anyone for changing the system?! Bit late now! |