Under-fire planning department feels more heat in Milton Keynes

The department is facing a complaint to police over a giant warehouse that was allowed in Blakelands, and a call by residents, Conservative councillors and both local MPs for a Government inspection into its performance.

And now, at a meeting on Thursday, senior officials had to field questions from more residents who are angered by a planning decisions and an alleged lack of enforcement.

Lesley Sung, the council manager at Walton Community Council (WCC) asked the development control committee to review a decision it made in June to grant permission to a block of 30 flats in Hindhead Knoll.

The Government is looking into a request to “call in” that decision.

And she wanted to know whether the developers have been told they can go ahead, in a formal decision notice.

Tracy Darke, the council’s director of economy, growth and culture, said a secretary of state decision on the call in was expected in three or four weeks but until then a decision is on hold.

Objectors were furious after a housing policy was tweaked behind the scenes to increase the density of homes on the site.

The change in policy made it into the local plan at the final stages, and was approved by councillors without being spotted either by them or by objectors.

It later emerged that the change was made after a conversation with the council-owned Milton Keynes Development Partnership. Councillors have committed to reviewing the details of how that happened.

In another question Paul Endersby, of Challacombe, in Furzton, said the council has failed to stop a neighbour carrying out building work on his property despite it not being given planning permission.

He asked: “I feel let down by Milton Keynes planning department as I’m sure do other objectors. What does the council intend to do now?”

Tracy Darke, the council’s director of growth, economy and culture, said enforcement officers have visited and informed the neighbour that he should stop his work and submit a valid planning application.

She said once an application has been made valid, members of the public can comment on it.

After the meeting Mr Endersby said: “This has been dragging on since late March and the council appears to not have even a slight regard to those who objected to this or to their own planning policies.

“All I can say now is that the bottom line seems to be that ultimately the council is only accountable to the council, and unless anyone can tell me who else I could take this to then their mind is made up and the result already decided.”

The development control committee was told that a planning improvement board was set up in January, and councillors are due to see their findings at a meeting in September.