The Flats …

Well, I never …

Talk about your Town Hall Politics … !

I’m just thankful I was wearing brown underwear, tonight, let’s put it that way …

Now, as you’ve probably guessed, there’s been quite a bit of fuss about the flats that Taylor Wimpey were — were, I should stress — planning to put on Saint James Road.

Notice I said were … ?

Because I was at the meeting of Brentwood Council’s Planning meeting, tonight, along with both Movie Night Adrian, and another neighbour and one or two of the neighbours, as well …

As it turns out, the various rules and regulations of the Planning Committee meeting debates of these things allow for a person objecting to the any such plans — as well as someone in favour of them — to speak for three minutes on why they think the plans are a bad move.

Or a good idea, depending.

Guess who volunteered to speak as an objector … ?

I’m a tart for the attention, aren’t I … ?

And, yep, that was me that volunteered to speak against the plans.

Not for very long, granted, but I think I managed to make my point.

Or points …

You only actually get three minutes to speak, and I don’t actually think I used all of them: I know one of my next door neighbours managed to do an audio capture of the relevant part of the meeting, but I’m not sure I timed myself: I do know I felt nervous.

And, yes, I know that many of my neighbours who were there told me I did fine.

And, yes, I also know I ran pub quizzes for six years.

But that doesn’t exactly stop stage-fright!

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At any rate, the initial procedure — for me — was sort of fascinating to watch. Although I think I’d be bored out of my skull having to do that all of the time.

None the less …

Hmm …

The whole thing opened with the Planning Committee’s chairman — Councillor McCheyne, if I’ve got this right — making some basic opening statements, introducing the various councillors involved, and — in the case of the Saint James Road site — telling us all that it had been recommended for refusal.

Which I’am assuming is on the basis of the various petitions — like the one organised by Councillor Chilvers, pictured — and objections already received.

But the fact that someone was there to object — and no-one was there to seemingly speak in favour?

Hopefully that helped!

Councillor McCheyne also — in his introduction — also told everyone about exactly which committee members could and couldn’t vote on each application. I’m not too sure if I got the straight of that, but — if I’ve understood it correctly — it appears that any councillors who’ve already spoken out about an application are assumed to be already biased for or against: I’m hoping that Councillor Chilvers — and Movie Night Adrian, who was there, and quietly disagreed about that, afterwards — will leave a comment or two.

Actually, Councillor Chilvers was one of the Committee members who had her vote on the application disallowed: on that very rule.

However, both her and Councillor Holmes*, who’s one of the other two Councillors for the Brentwood West ward, did have a chance to speak about this: both against, I should add.

(Before I forget, we also had some explanatory comments from one of Brentwood Council’s officers, detailing the various clauses in the application, and a question from Councillor David Kendall, the Lib-Dem Essex Council member for the area, asking if he could be allowed to speak.)

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So …

With all of the talk … ?

(Very tempting to use the word verbiage, there, but never mind …)

Well …

I’m hoping I’ve got something of a scoop, here …

But the net result of all of the talk … ?

Is that Taylor Wimpey’s plans to build 71 flats on Saint James Road have been — wait for it — REFUSED!!

Phew!!

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The big question … ?

The big question, of course, is what happens next.

To be frank … ?

I’m not too sure.

I do know that there was a heck of a lot of comment from various Committee members that made a lot of the fact that Taylor Wimpey and Crest Nicholson had — as part of the planning application that got Rollason Way originally built — agreed to build some sort of amenities area, something I know I wasn’t aware of.

In fact, one Councillor, whose name I didn’t catch, was insistent that some sort of play area’s be built: his word’s were that not to have them was “sullying the memory of Helen Rollasonº”: who he’d known personally, and after whom Rollason Way was named.

Well …

Let me re-phrase that earlier phrase to ‘it’s something I was reminded of’: I can dimly remember the signs up for ‘The Base’ — Crest Nicholson’s name for the bit of the estate that they’d constructed — that promised a certain amount of park. There’s none of that visible from my front or back windows.

Unless you count Brentwood Station’s car-park, over the road, but I don’t think that’s what meant.

At any rate, I do know me and the neighbours got nattering on the way back. To a man, we all agreed that — hopefully — that patch of grass should either be kept as a patch of park.

Or maybe have a community hall built on it.

Here’s hoping …

* Councillor Holmes isn’t on the Committee: but had the chance to speak as one of the Councillors representing the area.

º Sports reporter, Helen Rollason lived in Brentwood up until her death in 1999: Rollason Way is named after her, and all of the flats along it are named after various sportsmen and women.