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Waltham Abbey Greens’ statement on Knolly’s Nursery

Knolly’s Nursery

A full council meeting on 23rd November voted to approve the planning application for Knolly’s Nursery (EPF/1162/15).

  • For: 24
  • Against: 11
  • Abstentions: 3

Waltham Abbey Greens, if elected, would have voted against the application as we believe that:

  • There are no guarantees that the ‘affordable’ homes will be genuinely affordable
  • Inadequate efforts have been made to find alternative sites for the Children’s Nursery
  • By approving the application Epping Forest District Council could be seen as pre-empting the Local Plan and Green Belt Review
  • The decision appears to oppose the overwhelming majority of public responses to the proposal
  • There will be an impact on Lee Valley’s horticultural industry, both from the loss of this site and the potential effect on other sites if a precedent is set
  • There will be a direct impact on the green belt and, again, further impacts if a precedent is set.

The application has been referred to the Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG.)

Thanks to Waltham Abbey Residents Association for collating evidence and public opinion which has been invaluable to many people who oppose this application.

I attended the meeting on 23rd November as an observer and was shocked to hear a current District Councillor from Waltham Abbey dismiss residents’ concerns by saying that,

‘It doesn’t matter where you go to build. The people that live there will always complain, they’ll always object. I think that’s happened anywhere any building is, it’s Not In My Back Yard.’

I don’t believe that’s an  appropriate way for an elected representative to refer to their constituents’ concerns.

You can watch the meeting’s webcast here: http://bit.ly/1J4RWSN