Starbucks decision gives me great confidence (From The Argus)

Starbucks decision gives me great confidence

1:03pm Sunday 12th July 2009 in News

Contrary to the rhetoric of the article, (The Argus, July 6), the decision of the planning inspector gives me great confidence that parochial, mildly irrational decisions made by local officers and councillors can be reviewed objectively to achieve consistency.

Note the planning committee itself never made the main decision appealed against by Starbucks, the refusal of change of use from retail to coffee shop was made by officers. It would have needed more than five residents to support the application – which technically breached policy – before it could go to committee.

No doubt the committee itself may have made the same refusal – as it did when the relatively trivial signage was stopped and now allowed by the same appeal decision – but at least the process would have been more open, transparent and informed.

The planning inspector’s report is balanced, with the right level of levity and criticism. For example, when noticing the partiality of the council tolerating four other cafes which do not have planning permission nearby. Note that Coun Hyde makes a carping remark that the planning inspector is not elected, as if the right to appeal was an unnecessary interference. Planning policy is a flexible tool and it is good that the planning committee is held to account when it makes a wrong decision. As the decision states, the increase of frontage of 30cm over the 15m maximum would be barely discernible to passers-by.

Roy Pennington
ex-chair, planning committee Hendon Street, Brighton