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Green MP Siân Berry said that she was disappointed that Royal Mail had been granted planning permission to build a distribution depot on the site of disused farm buildings on the edge of Brighton.
The new MP for Brighton Pavilion submitted objections to the plans for Patcham Court Farm, in Vale Avenue, both before and after her election on Thursday 4 July.
But today (Wednesday 4 September) Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee voted seven to two in favour of the scheme, with one abstention, after three hours of questions and debate.
Residents protested outside Hove Town Hall before the meeting and filled the public gallery, applauding comments they agreed with and calling out “shame on you” when the application was approved.
Ms Berry said: “I know many of my constituents will be disappointed with the Royal Mail planning decision today, particularly in north Brighton.
“Having fought so hard and to have felt silenced in recent parts of the process, it has left many residents with questions about the fairness of the planning system.
“With requests for more time to scrutinise documents refused by the council, and with many concerns seemingly ignored or not adequately reflected in documents, I share their frustration.
“When even Southern Water don’t seem wholly confident about Royal Mail’s plans, saying they need more ‘conversations’ about mitigations, alarm bells should be ringing.
“The conditions imposed alone do not make this a safe development.
“I will do what I can to support my constituents with the next steps, to ensure that conditions are not breached and that further mitigations are considered wherever possible.”
There were 1,179 individual objections to the application, with representations from Brighton and Hove Wildlife Forum, the Brighton Society, Patcham and Hollingbury Conservation Association and the Patcham Local History Group.
At the meeting, councillors were told that the site was in a “source protection zone 1” – officially classed as the most vulnerable to pollution – for Southern Water’s public water supply. There were “adits” – or horizontal drains – within 150 metres of the site.
The council agreed with Southern Water that one of the planning conditions should be that “no below-ground construction work” could take place from September to April.
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