There are quite a lot of developments in this borough that deserve the description of inappropriate. The subtext is often “How on earth was that allowed” or “They must have connections”.

The sad thing is that an overstretched Planning Department will recommend a questionable development “with conditions” to go to the Planning Committee and sometimes the Committee will even impose more conditions when they pass a planning application. However objections can be voiced and the Committee decides on the action to be taken. It is open and can be reported.

This is not the case for the UK Docks. The Planning Office, or to be more precise, the Principal Planning Officer, has appeared to have accepted UK Docks word that the slipway shelter was being built to approved plans and that the location was suitable site for a ship repair yard.  UK Docks were not asked to make a retrospective planning application and they have been allowed to build a shelter on their slipway without planning permission.

The local residents have effectively taken over the job of the planners.