Elmbridge Council defers decision on Star and Garter Jolly Boatman plan (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Elmbridge Council defers decision on Star and Garter Jolly Boatman plan

11:44am Wednesday 12th November 2008 in

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The saga of the Jolly Boatman continues after Elmbridge Council failed to make a decision about the future of the site at a planning meeting last night.

Last July, developers Gladedale Group submitted designs for the area adjacent to Hampton Court Palace to be converted in to a hotel, with a refurbished Hampton Court station and new care home for the Royal Star and Garter charity, which provides accomodation for ex-servicemen and women.

But the council voted 11 to 10 in favour of deferring a decision on whether to grant planning permission pending clarification from planning officers on the traffic movement in and out of Hampton Court station, the environmental impact this would have on the area, the density of the hotel building planned and issues surrounding affordable housing.

Councillor John Butcher, the Tory councillor for Cobham Downside who asked for the decision to be deferred, said: “I came here tonight with an open mind. I have no wish to vote against this proposal but I want points I and others have raised tonight to be clarified.

“Sadly, we have to tolerate some of the poor, poor councilling we saw tonight.”

Falklands War veteran Simon Weston

“The application does not adequately explain the points I have made tonight and I therefore ask for the vote to be deferred.”

The decision to defer was supported by Thames Ditton and Weston Green Residents’ Association Coun Ruth Lyon.

She said: “I support Coun Butcher’s request for deferral because with further facts and figures we will have a chance of making a better decision.”

The planning meeting went ahead last night despite the Government intervening last week to temporarily block the council from making a decision to allow the development to go through.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears issued the direction under Article 14 of the Town and Planning Order while she decides whether to grant a public inquiry into the matter and therefore permanently take the decision out of the council’s hands. The council said they expect to know whether there will be a public inquiry this week.

After the meeting, Falkland’s War hero Simon Weston, who is an ambassador for the Royal Star and Garter, said he had witnessed “poor councilling” at the meeting.

He said: “The level of debate was appalling and certain councillors were only concerned about how they looked. If that’s what we’re up against, it’s unsurprising we did not get a decision.

“Sadly, we have to tolerate some of the poor, poor councilling we saw tonight.”

Mary Brook, a spokesperson for the Hampton Court Rescue campaign questioned whether the meeting should have taken place at all and said the campaigners against the proposal would wait for a decision from the secretary of state.

The date for the next meeting has yet to be announced.

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