PROTESTERS battling a drastic redevelopment of Bishop’s Stortford’s Causeway have won town council backing in their bid for a judicial review.
The £105m scheme, proposed by Henderson Global Investments, was given the green light amid jeers of disapproval at an East Herts planning meeting last year.
But Bishop’s Stortford’s Civic Federation (BSCF), an umbrella group representing 10 of the town’s residents’ associations, wants to fight the decision in court amid controversy over how it was handled. The group cites archaelogical concerns, breaches of district planning policy and comments made by district council executive member Cllr Michael Tindale on the night the application was approved.
On Monday night (Feb 6), at a full Bishop’s Stortford Town Council meeting, members agreed to support the federation’s bid and thanked it for helping them gauge public opinion on Henderson’s plans.
Cllr Keith Barnes told his colleagues: “When we have such a worthy organisation as the Civic Federation, who can bring to our attention matters as seen by members of the public, then I’m only too pleased to support them.
“[The Henderson plan] is one of the biggest things that’s ever hit this town – to see the public response, mainly displayed through the Civic Federation, has been very helpful to us.”
Cllr Peter Gray said: “I would like to thank the Civic Federation for keeping us on our toes. You need to do that, because you’re the people on the ground – and as long as we listen to people like you, we will [also] remain the people on the ground.”
BSCF argues that East Herts’ decision-making process was “fundamentally flawed”, overlooking requirements for building conservation areas and ignoring the guidance of its own Local Plan.
It has also railed against Cllr Tindale, who told his colleagues it would be “morally bankrupt” to turn the scheme down because a mixed-use development had been agreed in principle for the site.
BSCF has labelled his intervention a “disgraceful, intimidatory attack” on the planning authority’s neutrality, a charge Cllr Tindale strenuously denies.
On Monday night, councillors voted to back BSCF’s campaign “to test the validity of East Herts’ decision”. All present voted in favour apart from Cllr Janice Elliott, who abstained. They were due to vote on giving “moral and public support” to the federation, but changed the wording because several members sit on EHDC’s development control committee and must take an impartial stance on planning matters.
