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3 Counties Group Press Release Councillors Could Face £millions Bill! When local Councillors make decisions on Planning matters they need to watch out! Even though long departed from Office they may find the buck still stops with them. They could find themselves facing mammoth compensation claims. Even our East Grinstead Town Councillors could find themselves caught out—though they could seek to spread the liability and legal harassment to other Councillors who confirmed decisions at District and County levels. It’s all about tough new EC laws which require Air Pollution levels to be kept below set maximums. If airlines exceed these levels, and residents living below flight paths are “exposed to illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide,” the result could be that “up to 15,000 homes” near Heathrow and Gatwick will be demolished. This is what a recent Report by the Department of Transport says. (See, Andrew Clark, “Runway Will Only Affect 10,000,” The Guardian, 10 May, 2003). Examination of Gatwick’s Flight Path corridor clearly shows that the proposed new development sites west and south-west of East Grinstead are directly beneath the Flight Path.
Should the new houses (now up to 2650) duly be built (which East Grinstead Town Council [EGTC] in its 11 February 2002 Response Submission to WSCCs [DDSP] Deposit Draft Structure Plan, confirms it “supports in principle”); and then be condemned some years down the line; individual and collective legal actions brought by aggrieved home owners—and/or those suffering from specified health disorders arising from illegal toxic flight-path dischages—could mean that the Councillors who had given initial formal approvals will be facing massive claims. This would include those Councillors attending the EGTC Meeting of Monday, 4 February 2002, who approved the County Structure Plan Proposal for up to 2500 Houses to be built at East Grinstead. Such claims, it might be added, would make pay-outs sought by Westminster City Council from disgraced former Council Leader and TESCO heiress, Dame Shirley Porter, look like small change! Dame Shirley, it may be recalled, was fingered in the “houses for votes” scandal exposed during the final years of the Thatcher administration. She is still being pursued for millions in compensation and damages. Just last month (30 May) the European Court of Human Rights threw out Dame Shirley’s latest Appeal. The £37m surcharge levied against her still stands. (See The Daily Telegraph, 31 May, 2003) Planning matters can be initiated or confirmed locally. But for those Councillors—and indeed Officers concerned—they can have massive consequences. Are our Councillors, seemingly keen as ever to get these houses built, ready to face these consequences? And it’s not as though Councillors and Officers are ignorant of Town Residents’ views on this gravely important issue. At the January 2002 Public Meeting at Chequer Mead, they were alerted to residents’ concern. Irene Heasman pointed out that the West of the Town was directly “under the flight path” with all the risks and dangers—including effects on long-term health—of air pollution thereby attendant. (See Courier, 17 January, 2002). County representatives she spoke with after the Meeting expressed concern and promised a written reply. She is still waiting. Readers may care to note that the Gatwick Flight Path does NOT over-fly the “East of M23” (Lamont) site. (See Map, light-shaded area to the left of the name Copthorne). Press Liaison: Peter Haskell 01342 322622 | Close | |
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