TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH COUNCIL
Councillor James Scholes - Leader of the Council
14 Claremont Gardens
ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS Kent TN2 5DD

Date: 17 July 2001

Dear Mrs Quinnell

Telephone House

Thank you for your letter of 9th July.
I have arranged for Rodney Stone, Chief Executive to write to you

Yours sincerely
CLLR JAMES E SCHOLES

THNA LETTER - 9 July 2001
To Councillors:
Davies, Oliver-Smith, Patterson, Booth,Veitch, Price, Lynes, Wakefield, Fisher, Noakes, Weeden, Ealden, Morton, Bullock, Ward, Baker, Waldock, Ollive, Bulman, Mayhew, Harrison, Cload, Ballantine, Mills, Ekins-Daukes, Bell, Wratten, Cunningham, Catt, Carvell, Jolley, Lewis, Neve, Lockhart, Baker, Young, Barber-Hughes, Horwood, Scholes, Aungier, Boddy, Blackburn, Poile, Rusbridge, Clary, Howell, Jukes, Paulson-Ellis
cc: Member of Parliament Archie Norman

- Application 99/02211 - Application 00/01474
- Appeal APP/M227/A/00/1054946
- LOCAL PLAN REVIEW - DEPOSIT COPY - POLICY H6(A)
- APPEAL DECISION by Inspector Malcolm Lewis - § 14

If the Western Area Planning Committee Members are empowered by the electorate of Tunbridge Wells to reject the planning application by Crest Homes/BT for Telephone House, how come both rejections have been ignored, and later, at a meeting held on 23rd May 2001, Members of the Western Area Planning Committee and other Councillors, changed their minds completely, and accepted policy H6(a)/Telephone House; a policy which matches exactly, the twice rejected plan ?

Had these Councillors stood firm, and remained consistent in their decision to reject the plan, surely this situation would not have arisen?

Presuming that you have the power to control planning policies in this town, we urge you to use it to remove this specific policy H6(a), and challenge the Inspector’s (Malcolm Lewis) decision in this matter (Appeal Decision - Reasons: §14), by applying to the High Court at the Crown Office within the specified time limit - August 14th 2001.

We would appreciate being kept informed of the action that you take.
The Telephone House Neighbours Association

Could the Inspector's decisions have been challenged ? Are Councillors willing to exercise their power in Tunbridge Wells ? 27.07.01 - the Chief Executive announces the Councillors' decision.

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, Tunbridge Wells The aims are to heighten peoples' awareness and concern for the controversial planning permission of the high density development of Telephone House site, Church Road / York Road, Tunbridge Wells.