Planners refuse to pull the plug on mental health hospital in City Gate

By kliptrot kate liptrot kliptrot@derbytelegraph.co.uk

PLANNING permission for 61 major projects in Derby will not be withdrawn, despite council officers admitting that residents were not properly consulted before the developments were approved.

The Derby Telegraph revealed in May that the projects, which include a controversial mental health hospital in City Gate, were not properly advertised by officers.

After the series of blunders came to light, councillors agreed to consider whether approval for the projects should be revoked.

But members of Derby City Council's planning control committee last night voted in favour of allowing permission to remain.

Speaking after the meeting, committee chairman Councillor Robin Wood said: "We've had the chance to revoke them, we've had an all-party group looking at them in detail, and the committee has decided not to revoke planning permission for any of them."

Madeline Hackett, who originally drew attention to the planning blunder, spoke in favour of revoking permission for the City Gate development at the meeting, on behalf of Wilmorton's Residents' Group.

She said: "We object on the grounds that the actual site chosen will not contribute or hasten the recovery of anyone being treated there. By allowing this development to commence without full public consultation, both the council and its planning department have successfully alienated the public against any type of community involvement."

The council received 60 objections to the unit after it reopened the consultation process by advertising in the press, once the blunder had been revealed.

Paul Clarke, corporate director of regeneration, told the meeting: "There is nothing in terms of material planning considerations by which to conclude that the planning permission was wrong."

He said Cygnet Healthcare, behind the development, had been asked why it believed the site was suitable for the development.

In response, it said it was close to public transport links, shops and community services such as GPs and dentists, and was neither isolated nor in the middle of a densely populated area.

Councillor Wood called on all those behind future controversial developments to speak to local residents about their plans.

He said: "I do hope lessons have been learned.

"Consultation with local people is always useful, always productive and can prevent an awful lot of misunderstanding."

The committee voted unanimously to accept Mr Clarke's findings regarding the other 60 applications.

Click here to read more about the planning blunders