Victory on parking!

Last night the council’s Planning Committee unanimously voted to REJECT the move to grant parking permits to occupants of The Firs on Church Grove.

This is a significant victory for local residents who already suffer from pressure on on-street parking, particularly as a decision to grant permits to The Firs could have set a precedent for many other developments, past, present and future.

It is also an important victory for local democracy, showing that the council can and will insist that developers stick to agreements made during the planning process.

Following a long and sorry tale of mis-steps by the developer of The Firs, the Planning Committee were asked to review a number of retrospective changes to their planning conditions previously agreed for this development. Included amongst these was a request for residents’ parking permits to be granted to occupants of these flats, despite it being a clear condition – before the building was started – that such permits would not be made available. For the full story click here.

The HWA and local residents expressed their dismay and anger over the possibility of the council allowing the developer to weasel its way out of the agreement regarding parking permits. Click here for more.

At yesterday’s Planning Committee meeting, Tony Page spoke on behalf of local residents, leaving the councillors in no doubt as to the strength of feeling and the actual levels of stress on parking experienced every day. Councillors then questioned the planning officials who had recommended going ahead with the parking permits, and then voted unanimously to reject the proposal.

You can view a webcast of the meeting by clicking here.

A big thank you is due to Tony Page and other local residents; local Councillor Robin Brown and members of the planning committee. Together we have achieved a victory for Hampton Wick residents and for the principles of accountability and integrity.