Response from Rodney Stone, Chief Executive, TWBC - 27 July 2001
to: 09.07.2001 - Are Councillors willing to exercise their power in Tunbridge Wells ?


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

Our ref: RJS/ALI

Date: 27 July 2001

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

Dear Ms Topliss

TELEPHONE HOUSE DEVELOPMENT

As promised I am writing to you to inform you of the decision of the Operational Services Board last night.
Present: Councillor Veitch (Vice-Chariman) (in the Chair), Councillors Mrs Blackburn, Cload, Cunningham, Neve, Noakes, Mrs Paulson-Ellis, Rusbridge (Substitute), Weeden and Young.
Non-Board Members present: Councillors Price and Scholes
Apologies for Absence: Councillor Oliver-Smith (Chairman)

After lengthy consideration, the Board decided that the Council will not be appealing to the High Court against the Inspector's Decisions. This decision was taken on the basis of legal and planning advice that there are no grounds of appeal that are worth the Council pursuing with any prospect of success.

This advice was taken to guide the Council and the Residents' position is legally different. The Association should take its own legal advice as to whether it may have grounds for appeal and, if so, whether it has reasonable prospects of success.

Yours sincerely
Rodney Stone
Chief Executive



Could the Inspector's decisions have been challenged ?
09.07.01 - Residents' request to Councillors of Tunbridge Wells

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.