Mayor Ken slams UDP

12.00.00am GMT Fri 14th Mar 2003

Serge Lourie, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition on Richmond upon Thames Council has called on all people who are concerned about the Tory changes to the Unitary Development to register to speak at the meeting of the Environment Committee on 1 April at 6.00 PM.

I am urging people to contact the appropriate officer of the Council, Theresa Richards, if they wish to speak. Her telephone number is 020 8891 7191 and her email is t.richards@richmond.gov.uk.

I understand that Ken Livingstone has contacted the Council to express his concern at the redesignation of a number of areas of metropolitan open land, which would make it easier for them to be developed.

In his latest report to the Assembly, he said [source GLA] " I asked officers to write to the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames in response to the proposed post-inquiry modifications to their UDP and accompanying documentation."

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"……………..there are some areas of policy within the revised UDP that do not fully reflect my emerging policies in the form of his draft London Plan. One particular area of concern relates to the proposed de-designation of a number of sites from Metropolitan Open Land and I am concerned that this is a very late stage of the UDP review process to propose such major changes as several MOL de-designations."

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"The Council have been reminded that they should also be aware that planning applications of strategic importance that are referred by the Council to myself, in line with my planning powers, will be subject to the emerging policies contained within the draft London Plan."

Note for editors: The UDP agreed by the Council, will be subject to a public enquiry presided over by a Planning Inspector in the Summer. Members of the public will be able to make representations to this and the Inspector may require modifications to the plan.