THE recent letters that highlighted the inconsistent goings on with Bolton Council’s planning decisions were the truth.

To my mind, if there was any accountability, there would have been an independent investigation long ago.

The letters to this page asked why a modest development of limited car movements at the Tramways was turned down, yet the giant religious centre close by was approved recently?

Also, as to why the UDP planning requirement that this scheme blends well with the locality went unheeded?

In Bromley Cross, in recent years, we were forced to watch while the Labour-controlled planning committee approved the large-scale development of the remaining green belt land.

About 375 asphalt parking places were approved across three developments and the ludicrous way around strict green belt regulation was the absurd “exceptional circumstances” ploy.

This is a shabby approach so beloved of the planners and almost as well-used as that other little discredited gem, retrospective planning permission.

A root-and-branch reform of local planning decision-making is long overdue.

The supposedly legally binding planning rulebook — the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) — is largely regarded with disdain, it seems; also planning conditions for schemes are just not enforced, in my experience.

That makes many local planning decisions irregular and liable to judicial review and legal action against the council for such as loss of house value — the Harwood Quarry decision comes to mind.

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