OVERALL, the feeling at the Derwenthorpe planning meeting was one of disappointment (February 1).
Councillors were disappointed the scheme had reduced affordable housing provision from an originally planned 50 per cent to 35 per cent and that only five per cent of this would demonstrate some features of modern, sustainable construction.
They were disappointed at inadequate on-site leisure and open space provision and particularly disappointed that so little could be done to alleviate the suffering of local people resulting from a huge increase in traffic on roads leading to the site during and after construction.
Councillor D'Agorne was disappointed when the chair not only refused to accept his proposition that the council should positively request a public inquiry, but also refused to have the request minuted.
Sadly for me, few councillors expressed disappointment at the loss of 53 acres of wonderful wildflower meadows, hedgerows and resident wildlife, although a couple mentioned slight regret because they said housing is more important than ecology.
But Coun Horton seemed gleeful that crested newts, which he described as "common as sheep", were at last going to get their comeuppance.
Coun MacDonald told us, as he did about Coppergate, that there were no grounds for refusal and opponents of the scheme (just about everyone present without a vested interest), were then disappointed, but not surprised, when councillors voted the scheme through.
Even the Rowntree contingent seemed disappointed. They knew planning committee members had given approval only because they couldn't think of anything else to do.
Their much-heralded Derwen-thorpe had been comprehensively exposed, not as an exemplar of 21st century sustainable development but as little better than a standard commercial housing estate that was certain to be, well, disappointing.
Barry Potter,
Knapton Lane, York.
Updated: 11:18 Monday, February 07, 2005
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