Swift-Hook welcomes Abbotswood delay

12.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th Jan 2007

Cllr Swift-Hook hopes the Tories will use the delay to consult Greenham residents about the waste site

The controversial planning application to site a Household Waste Recycling Centre at Abbotswood in Greenham has this week been delayed until mid-February. According to West Berkshire Council, this is to allow more time for them to organise the paperwork for the Western Area Planning Committee, who will decide the application. The Abbotswood proposals had been scheduled to be heard by the Committee on 31st January 2007.

Greenham Councillor Julian Swift-Hook, who is vigorously opposing the application on behalf of Greenham residents, commented:

"I am delighted to see that the Tory administration have finally seen sense and delayed the Abbotswood plans as the Lib Dem Group requested in a motion to full council in early December - we asked them to put it back by one meeting to allow them to thoroughly consult with affected residents, but they howled with derision before voting our motion down. Now they have had to postpone it anyway. I would like to see them using the extra time to undertake the consultation they should have carried out in the first place."

A special meeting of the Western Area Planning Committee is likely to be called during February, which will deal only with the Abbotswood waste site plans.

The news that the Western Area Planning Committee will meet in the much larger venue at St Bart's School to hear the Abbotswood plans, was greeted enthusiastically by fellow Greenham ward member, Councillor Billy Drummond:

"It is important that everyone interested is able to hear the discussions of the planning committee - several large companies, schools, Greenham Parish Council, Newtown Parish Council, Kingsclere Parish Council, Newbury Town Council and over 300 members of the public have registered their concerns. Obviously not all will be able to speak, but now that we have persuaded the council to provide a larger venue, everyone will be able to attend."