Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, has raised questions in Parliament over the protections in place to protect the planning system from abuse following local residents expressing their concern over a recently passed planning application in Claybrooke Parva.
Alberto has written Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government following the narrow approval given to a planning application at Wells Close in Claybrooke Parva by Harborough District Council last week.
The site, which was the subject of a High Court injunction the District Council last year, has caused concern for local residents who submitted over 600 objections against a planning application for the construction of a stable block, an agricultural storage shed and an extension to an associated stable yard.
In light of the recent High Court injunction, residents are concerned that the approved plans could soon lead to a new traveller site in the village.
Alberto said, “I share local residents’ disappointment in the narrow decision to approve the application at Wells Close in Claybrooke. Understandably, given the site and landowner’s quite complex history, my constituents have long-standing concerns that the application in question may lead to the creation of a new traveller site moving forward. It is not acceptable that the planning system should potentially be used in any way to circumvent the proper procedures, and as such I have written to the Secretary of State to seek reassurances that the Government will support local authorities in ensuring that the planning system is robust and is not subject to any form of abuse”.
Alberto added, “There is clearly a strong sense of concern among my constituents in Claybrooke and the surrounding villages, and I should like to reassure them that I will continue to press this matter with the Government to ensure that planning system remains fair and transparent for those who wish to use it. With regard to the application at Wells Close, both my office and Harborough District Council will be monitoring the situation closely, and I have every confidence that should any planning regulations be breached, that the District Council will take the appropriate enforcement action where necessary”.
Alberto is pictured above speaking in the House of Commons.
