The Planners BBC2

Anyone watched 'The Planners' on BBC2? what an eye opener! They filmed Peter Rawlinson (Planning Officer RMBC) and his colleague Rebecca Coley? discussing the appalling plans sent in to extend the Rochdale Mustafa Islamic Centre on Fishwick Street at a cost of a quarter of a million pounds.

The applicants refused to work with the planners in improving their 'unimaginative' design and RMBC recommended a refusal.

RMBC suggested that the site would require parking facilities for 150 cars (their plans were for 3)!

Come the day of the planning meeting, I squirmed as I watched RMBC totally over-ruled by the selected vote seeking councillors and watched in disbelief as the plans were given the go ahead.

So now, Rochdale will be graced with yet another huge carbuncle of a building, totally unsupported by RMBC consisting of a two and three storey extension which will measure 32 metres in length and is nothing more than a long brick wall with no windows.

When I think of all the 'nit picking' some of my friends have been subjected to upon submission of minor applications to RMBC planners and then watching this, I have to ask 'who rules the roost'?

Some very strange planning being passed in Rochdale these days Poppy.

Strange TP? downright criminal if you ask me!

Which ever way you look at it, Rochdale has been shown in an appalling light yet again.

There were no surprises though really.

I will be interested to see the subsequent episodes where Rochdale features.

Poppyanna555 wrote:Anyone watched 'The Planners' on BBC2? what an eye opener! They filmed Peter Rawlinson (Planning Officer RMBC) and his colleague Rebecca Coley? discussing the appalling plans sent in to extend the Rochdale Mustafa Islamic Centre on Fishwick Street at a cost of a quarter of a million pounds.

The applicants refused to work with the planners in improving their 'unimaginative' design and RMBC recommended a refusal.

RMBC suggested that the site would require parking facilities for 150 cars (their plans were for 3)!

Come the day of the planning meeting, I squirmed as I watched RMBC totally over-ruled by the selected vote seeking councillors and watched in disbelief as the plans were given the go ahead.

So now, Rochdale will be graced with yet another huge carbuncle of a building, totally unsupported by RMBC consisting of a two and three storey extension which will measure 32 metres in length and is nothing more than a long brick wall with no windows.

When I think of all the 'nit picking' some of my friends have been subjected to upon submission of minor applications to RMBC planners and then watching this, I have to ask 'who rules the roost'?

Just beggars belief !

Who were the councillors that passed it?

Sparky, a couple of those who were pushing for it were Asian (as was the female 'chair) and I do not know them. Wera Hobhouse was on the panel but was shouted down by the Chair who then literally PUSHED it through saying something along the lines of "anyway, we only have 5 minutes left so can we have the vote now" and no-one (including RMBC) was given any opportunity to argue the toss (well, that's my perception from what I observed). Perhaps it will be shown on BBC I Player?

Before it got to the Planning Meeting the applicants had lobbied their local councillors to take it out of the hands of the planners, they went out to view the site/plans and (like RMBC) were suitably unimpressed and Billy Sheering? was recorded voicing his disbelief at the disproportionate size of the proposed extension.

But Hey Ho, get a couple of their buddies on the panel and they need not have worried.

Has anybody got the link to this please ?

If due process was not observed and all points not taken then could a complaint have been made and the planning permission stopped until investigated?

Poppyanna555 wrote:Sparky, a couple of those who were pushing for it were Asian (as was the female 'chair) and I do not know them. Wera Hobhouse was on the panel but was shouted down by the Chair who then literally PUSHED it through saying something along the lines of "anyway, we only have 5 minutes left so can we have the vote now" and no-one (including RMBC) was given any opportunity to argue the toss (well, that's my perception from what I observed). Perhaps it will be shown on BBC I Player?

Before it got to the Planning Meeting the applicants had lobbied their local councillors to take it out of the hands of the planners, they went out to view the site/plans and (like RMBC) were suitably unimpressed and Billy Sheering? was recorded voicing his disbelief at the disproportionate size of the proposed extension.

But Hey Ho, get a couple of their buddies on the panel and they need not have worried.

Will try to find it and view.

Hope Rochdale Online cover it in their Council Watch.

Reads like it should be investigated BIG TIME!

Well, it looked very suspect to me Sparky but that is my own personal view, others may not see it that way?

This programme can now be viewed on BBCiPlayer and is Episode 3.

After viewing this again on iPlayer I can confirm that the Chair of the meeting was Councillor Begum. Councillor Zaman acted first in cutting the meeting short by pushing the vote to approve the proposal, quickly followed by Councillor Begum (both ignoring RMBC's concerns, particularly regarding parking). Both Cllr Billy Sheerin and Cllr Wera Hobhouse tried to promote some discussion re' the Councils concerns but (certainly in Cllr Hobhouses case) was unceremoniously shouted down by Cllr Begum.

Karen Danczuk was on the panel (she wasn't seen to utter a word) and her husband was sat in the public gallery (he too made no attempt to question the proposal).

Rebecca Colley (RMBC) made comments at the end referring to this approval being as a vote seeking political decision, and I totally agree.

Indeed Hinch, this was a real eye opener to me I must admit and will certainly influence my voting habits in the future. The 3 main parties are OUT for me from now on I can tell you, I am disgusted!

Lots of talk on twitter about it this morning.

Graham Yaffe ‏@Albertstan
Shocking expose of sham planning 'debate' in Rochdale with regard an extension to Muslim Community Centre. Disgraceful! #planners #railroad

TIM_Today ‏@TIM_Today
OMG, hope I never have to live in Rochdale. Unbelievable how the councillors railroaded the approval through without full debate #planners

Debbie ‏@purplepickles
#PLANNERS While I think the Muslim centre building should get permission, that meeting whitewash was totally wrong. Chair should be ashamed

RT @Roachaldo : @SimonDanczuk embarrassing to watch #Rochdale yet again shown as a badly run town. Mickey Mouse planning process #planners

Am I right in thinking that Cllr Begum was only elected last May? And already chairing planning meetings?
I have to say I was appalled by what I saw on the programme last night. I often stick up for the council, playing devils advocate at times just to promote debate but also as an alternative to the seemingly endless negativity, but that planning meeting was unbelievable.

Yes. First elected last May. A meteoric rise without all the bother of having to travel through space for millions of years first.

Shocking programme!

What we witnessed from Cllr Begum was an absolute disgrace. Definitely NOT democracy in action. Far from it.

I understood the problems faced by the Mosque and their community. I empathised with them and had no doubts about the need they had to extend and modernise the premises.

Rebecca Cowley (may have mispelt her name) shone through as did Cllr Billy Sheeran.

If there is blame to lay then in my opinion it lies at the door of the communities of this Borough who have have elected these undemocratic Councillors into office and the parties who fail to bring them to account.

The Officers at RMBC have my sympathies.

Someone I know very well indeed used to attend governers meetings at schools in her capacity of council officer and was routinely rudely spoken to by a number of long standing councillors who thought that being a councillor gave them the right to ignore officer's advice and respond to said advice with a complete lack of respect and politeness.

There is a body of opinion that because planning is subject to strict laws it may be best to leave the decision making to the planners, many simple ones already are.
The reason it is unlikely to ever happen is because constituents want their councillors to vote for them, lobby for them or influence the decision in some way.
Whatever the outcome of an application is, if the decision goes against the planners recommendation there should be a planning reason for it, not I like/don't like it reason. If there is not it is subject to an appeal.

I thought RMBC had strict policies about bullying and racial prejudice, this must surely break a number of rules - but I will not hold my breath to see if they act!

keithatrochdale wrote:I thought RMBC had strict policies about bullying and racial prejudice, this must surely break a number of rules - but I will not hold my breath to see if they act!

Well just wait for the well used

"Lessons will be learnt" quote from the PR department.