Councillor slams Centreport plans
Published on 11th January 2007 in News
Plans set for discussion today (Thursday) relating to a major development on the outskirts of Goole have been labelled as 'completely over the top' and a 'dangerous fantasy' by a Goole Town councillor.
An outline planning application - submitted by Sterling St James - for a development on the site off Rawcliffe Road - Centreport - is set to be put on hold when members of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's (ERYC) planning committee meet this morning. More time is needed for consultation responses and the completion of an agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 which will see a new link road from the site and public access across the site to land proposed as a country park.
The plans, which include a 100-bed hotel, offices and car showrooms, as well as landscaping and engineering works, have been looked upon favourably by planning officers, who believe it would change the fortunes of Goole by addressing unemployment and enabling regeneration to take place.
But Goole Town councillor Kester Dean this week challenged the plan to massively expand Goole and create 5,000 jobs off junction 36 of the M62, believing that the Centreport plans will lead to the influx of new workers into the town.
He said: "We need some development - more skilled jobs with better pay and conditions, some new housing to help first time buyers and pensioners, and new leisure and retail facilities. However, this is completely over the top."
In a letter to the ERYC's Forward Planning Department, the councillor recently expressed his concern about whether local services would be able to cope with the large influx of new workers that the town could see, asking if planning officials had adequately considered the issue when considering plans for Centreport.
Cllr Dean condemned ERYC's response that Goole has a level and range of housing, education and health and social services to fulfil the role as "a dangerous fantasy."
He added: "ERYC has obviously not tried to get in at the doctor's or dentist's in Goole recently and their own social services department is already totally over-stretched. And there is already a severe lack of accommodation for first-time buyers.
"It is a dangerous fantasy to say our services can just absorb the inward migration caused by the plan for 5,000 jobs."
Of the consultations responses to the overall outline application already received, there have been no objections but Goole Town Council has stated that the development should not encroach into the area designated as Oakhill country park.
The means of access for the new development is set to be discussed at today's meeting, while all other matters are deferred for future consultation. Planning officers have advised that a road providing more appropriate links between the M62 and Goole and the port is considered to be essential to the development.
A spokesperson for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: "The granting of outline planning permission on this site is one step towards attracting future investment to Goole and providing the opportunity for the development of additional jobs."