BMH: Planning approval on hold

Fred, the chair of Breton house forwards a summary of a message sent by Catherine McGuinness, City Corporation’s Chair of Policy and Resources. This is the part relevant to BMH:

"I am advised that following the letter to the Secretary of State requesting that the planning application be called in, the Secretary of State has issued a Section 31 Direction which means that the decision arrived at by the Planning and Transportation Committee subject to entering a Section 106 agreement in respect of Bernard Morgan House cannot be issued without the prior authorisation of the Secretary of State. The notice is issued to enable him to consider whether he should direct under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 that the application should be referred to him for determination.

I would add, in response to the concerns about conflicts expressed in the letter to the Secretary of State, that I am advised all procedural requirements have been adopted to ensure that the decision of Planning and Transportation Committee was made appropriately, on the basis of planning considerations only, and without regard to issues of ownership.

I can confirm that in compliance with the Direction, no planning permission will be issued unless so authorised by the Secretary of State".

Meanwhile, the scaffolding rises:

Rising Scaffold