Don't waste this chance!

Published on 12th October 2006 in News

Centreport developers have been blasted this week after news of plans to ditch planning conditions already imposed upon the site as well as the trapping and removal of wildlife from the junction 36 development site.

Developers Sterling St James have applied to the East Riding of Yorkshire for variations to seven of the conditions placed on the site when permission was first granted for the creation of the Guardian Glass plant. The developers state these amendments are necessary to alter the existing roundabout on the link road and the estate road to Guardian Glass.

The plans were discussed at Goole Town Council's meeting on Monday evening. Conditions include an obligation to conserve ditches on the site, to provide a proper drainage scheme, to limit floorspace, to regulate access including a link road, to safeguard wildlife including water voles and to protect local residents from inappropriate development.

Cllr Kester Dean said: "I believe this is a sinister application. I don't believe these conditions all relate to a roundabout, as is described in the application. These conditions were put in place for a purpose. The removal of these conditions only downgrades the scheme.

"We want good investment from businesses. We want to create a quality environment. If these conditions are removed we will end up with a business park which only offers low-paid agency work. Goole deserves better. We should object to this."

But Cllr Jane Marsden was against Cllr Dean's proposal. "The plans in front of us are for an amendment to the roundabout," she said. Tesco, who are looking to go onto this site, have requested an additional junction at the roundabout so that it can cope with their large lorries."

A vote by councillors was tied at four votes against Cllr Dean's proposal to object and four votes for. The mayor had the casting vote and he voted against removal of these conditions. An objection is now being sent to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

The trapping and removal of water voles from the site also grabbed the attention of Cllr Dean.

The voles are a protected species and were being transferred from the Oakhill site to Devon before being released in Hertfordshire. This is a move that is thought to be in contravention of a planning agreement between Sterling St James, developers of the £237 million Centreport site, and Natural England, the statutory service formerly known as English Nature.

"We like wildlife here, they shouldn't be taking them away," said Cllr Dean, who is the Friends of Oakhill chairman.

"There are lots of examples of business parks around the country that enhance the environment. These are the ones that attract the higher-paid jobs with good career prospects.

"On evidence of this, however, junction 36 is in danger of becoming a huge wasted opportunity. The approach is unlikely to appeal to responsible employers. The budget is £237 million, mostly from the tax payer - if that can't buy quality then something is badly wrong."

Mr Dean claims he has contacted English Nature and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council about water voles and that trapping has now stopped, although he says that it appears there are no voles left.

Natural England spokesperson Alex Smith echoed Cllr Dean's sentiments this week when he told how the removal of the voles was disappointing.

He said: "We are extremely surprised and very disappointed that the Centreport developers, Sterling St James, chose to start removing resident water voles. This work started with startling speed and without full discussion with Natural England.

"We have worked hard to ensure that this economically important development is undertaken without detriment to the local natural environment, with negotiated mitigation packages included as part of the planning consent.

"We will now be seeking a commitment to ensure the return of the Centreport voles, or their off-spring, to a conserved and hopefully enhanced habitat befitting this protected species."

However, a spokesperson for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council confirmed this week that the removal of the voles, which have dark fur, a round body and short, fat faces, is not technically a breach of planning conditions, even though campaigners feel it is against the spirit of the agreement.

The spokesperson said: "One of the conditions is to agree with us and Natural England is a mitigation strategy for the ecology of the site.

"There is no breach of planning conditions as they don't become active until the permission is acted upon."