I notice the letter from Maureen Male, chairman of Holbeach Parish Council planning committee is not happy that the comments her and other people in Holbeach made against the Ashley King application for 900 houses, appeared to have been ignored.
She made the point that the majority of people who voted to support the application did not live in Holbeach , that no notice was taken of important local issues. I was not at the meeting so cannot comment on that application.
However, I know exactly how she feels.
Last year, I, and other residents who live near the Bourne Road/Winsover Road/Hawthorn Bank ‘T’ junction, believe we made valid and comprehensive reasons why an application for a licence to sell alcohol from 6am to 10pm should be refused.
We attended the licensing hearing and, guess what, the local councillor Graham Dark, who knows the area well, voted against granting the license but two Holbeach members, namely Coun Francis Biggadike and ex-Coun Rita Rudkin, appeared to ignore all the points raised and put forward by local people who know the area well and voted to grant the application.
Already, some of the issues we raised are coming true. Vehicles parking on the zig-zag lines outside the premises, vehicles parked partly on the pavement making it difficult for people in disabled scooters to get by and adding an extra hazard for some of our blind and partially sighted residents who live nearby.
I agree that it is a pity that local knowledge, and the views of local people, can be overridden by people who might not know the area.
Coun Angela Newton
Spalding Monkshouse ward
