TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH COUNCIL
Corporate Services
Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS

Our ref: RJS/ALI
Date: 7 September 2001

Telephone House Neighbours Association
37 Church Road
ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Kent TN1 1JT

Dear Ms Topliss

Thank you for your letter of 29th August 2001.

I still do not believe that it is appropriate to release Counsel's opinion. Indeed, as the time for appealing has now passed, and the opinion is solely about a possible appeal, it is difficult to see how useful it could be to you.

I still take the view that is would not be useful to answer the questions that you have raised, or now raise, when the site now has a planning permission. If you could explain to me why the information that you have requested would be useful to you, I would be prepared to consider the issue further.

However, to avoid any misunderstanding, the answer to Question 4 is that the Operational Services Board decided not to appeal because of clear advice from the Counsel and the Borough Secretary and Solicitor that such an appeal would have no reasonable chance of success. It follows therefore that it would have been irresponsible for a public body to embark on proceedings, having received such advice. Of course you still have the ability to comment upon Policy H6(a) or any other aspect of the Local Plan.

I would also comment on the sixth paragraph of your letter. The inspectors' decision letters nowhere comment on unreasonable behaviour by the Council officers. It seems remarkable that you have read such an imputation into it when it is not there.

Yours sincerely
Rodney Stone
Chief Executive

After the Public Inquiry during summer/autumn 2001 TWBC Chief Executive Rodney Stone's attitude towards Residents

Bizarrely, Policy H6(a) allocated for Telephone House was identical to the two refused planning applications for the Telephone House development. [1st: refused at delegated officers' level - 2nd: refused by the Councillors of the Western Area Planning Committee]. Policy H6(a) is the most controversial document, produced by the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, leading to the Telephone House Debacle.

The Telephone House Neighbours Association informs on CALA Homes (South) Development: CALA Group acquired the controversial planning permission for the high density development of Telephone House site, Church Road / York Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1, Kent.