Whitehall's overruling of the local planning inspector's decision, allowing the mega depot to go ahead at Pyestock is leaving local residents reeling. It seems as though the democratic process is being ignored and big business has the advantage over local council tax payers. This does not make for happy residents.
The thousands of signatures on the appeal against the development reflect the very strong opinion that the development is entirely inappropriate to the area for so many reasons: traffic, noise, pollution, loss of green areas separating towns all causing environmental damage.
The developer’s defence that the project would bring 1,600 jobs and clean up the onsite contamination is not a strong one. In an area that enjoys higher than average employment, the demographic is more suited to hi tech office based jobs anyhow, and surely the site would have to be cleaned up whatever the development that finally went ahead...
But is it is the way the decision has been made, without regard for the community which seems to be really enflaming locals. The fact that Steven Moss, project director for Real Estate Investment Managers PRUPIM, said he was committed to ‘working with the community’ just doesn’t ring true...
The battle is not over yet with councillors from Rushmoor Borough, Yateley and Blackwater and Hawley, Hart District, Natural England and SPLAT, plus the MPs for Aldershot and NE Hampshire fighting the decision.
What you think ?