21 January 2007 – CONVENOR SAYS HE MAY CALL A PUBLIC HEARING 

In a letter to Chairman of the Community Council, Douglas Kirkwood, Planning Board Convenor, Councillor Nicolson says that he may hold a Public Hearing where only those people who have submitted written objections can petition the members of the Planning Board. 

HALL SAYS, NOT NECESSARY AND NOT DEMOCRATIC 

Councillors are our representatives not our peers 

This is a completely inadequate response to the substantial level of opposition to this proposal and the fact that many people feel totally unrepresented by their Councillors.   The public are calling for a Public Meeting – a world of difference from a restricted Hearing. There is a new Planning Act which comes into force later this year.  That will require pre-Determination Hearings in cases like this.  It will also require the applicant to consult with the public prior to making its application.  In this case the applicant has made no attempt to explain to the public. 

This land is owned by the Council and they admitted to the Ombudsman that they expected to have to ask the Scottish Ministers if they wanted to acll the application in and hold an Inquiry. HALL ask, “why hold this Public Hearing?” – the Council have at least 200 written objections and over 500 other earlier written objections to selling the land. 

The public want answers.  At the Public Hearing proposed by Councillor Nicolson they wont get answers – the members of the Planning Board are barred from responding. Why not go straight to Public Inquiry or refuse the application? This is Open Space and changing its use has to be measured against the value the public place it. One question that the public want answering is why have the SNP and its LibDem supporters changed their mind?  People in Houston are too smart to buy the explanation that they had no alternative.