Consultation time for plans attacked

Feb 8 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

RETIRED crown prosecution solicitor Mike Crosta is used to sifting through the evidence and preparing a strong case.

But he said even he was hard pressed to gather vital information on a crucial development blueprint which will change the face of the Vale of Glamorgan.

In fact, he claims it took him three days to find the information he was looking for on the internet.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s draft Local Development Plan (LDP) will affect the lives of every resident over the next 15 years. The LDP, which sets out possible development sites to meet housing and other needs in the Vale, is out for public consultation until February 27. But Mr Crosta claimed there had not been proper consultation with the public on such an important document.

Mr Crosta, 67, who was awarded the OBE in 2004 for services to the Crown Prosecution Service, lives in Llancarfan, which is one of the areas which could be affected by development. He said: “There has been no real publicity about this. The public consultation was announced a matter of days before it started. Six weeks is not enough time to study such a vast document and reach informed conclusions.

“We did have a meeting of Llancarfan Community Council when an officer came to address us. But we were not allowed to ask any questions and she said we should be very honoured that she was there at all. This is not democracy. It is an attack on democracy and citizens’ rights.

“The ordinary people who are going to be affected by this appear not to count. It took me three days to get this information off the internet, but the only submissions we can make are based on questions that are set out in the document. We cannot raise other areas of concern. Valuable greenfield sites could be taken over.”

He added: “Landowners were aware of invitations to put forward land for possible development. But the general public has been left totally unaware of it.”

Councillor Andrew Dobbinson, chairman of the Vale council’s planning committee, said the six-week consultation period, which included exhibitions at Cowbridge, Llantwit Major and Barry, was only the first stage of public consultation. The public would have further chances to put forward their views over the next two years.

peter.collins@mediawales.co.uk

Mike Crosta