Government rejects plea to ‘call in’ Royal Mail plans – Brighton and Hove News

The government has turned down a request by campaigners to “call in” the Royal Mail’s planning application to build a distribution centre at Patcham Court Farm.

Resident Paul Mannix put together the “statement of case” before Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee approved the application, subject to conditions.

Mr Mannix, who dressed up as “Mr Poop” to protest against the scheme, has been campaigning for a halt to the raw sewage flooding Patcham’s streets.

He fears that the Royal Mail’s proposal will make the problem much worse.

There are four grounds to the request for a call in.

• Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework will require more housing in Brighton and Hove and the council should build social housing on the land rather than lease it to a private company.
• The application may have a significant long-term impact on economic growth and meeting housing needs across a wider area than a single local authority because Brighton and Hove has housed homeless people in Eastbourne and Newhaven.
• The application has national security implications, with the new Labour government having just called in the sale of the Royal Mail to Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky for possible links to Russia, and the application site is very sensitive because it sits on the Patcham aquifer that provides most of Brighton and Hove’s tap water.
• The application raises significant architectural and urban design issues because the Patcham Court Farm site is in an area of outstanding natural beauty and is designated by Brighton and Hove City Council as a green buffer zone for the Patcham Village residential heritage conservation area which contains a significant number of listed buildings and monuments.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that the decision to call in a planning application was only used “very selectively”.

A letter from civil servant Lorraine Gamble said: “The Secretary of State (Angela Rayner) has decided, having had regard to this policy, not to call in this application.

“She is satisfied that the application should be determined at local level.

“I appreciate that this is not the preferred outcome for you and I understand there will be disappointment as a result.

“It is, however, now for the council to determine this application.”

Mr Mannix has asked for the reasons behind the rejection and Patcham Against Royal Mail campaigners have vowed to find other ways to fight the decision.