Councillors crush tube depot plans

From Watford Observer Friday 24th September 2004

by JOANNE DAVIS

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a tube depot in Croxley Green have been quashed by
Three Rivers District Council.
London Underground wants to build a new depot on Green Belt land at Long
Valley Wood to replace its existing one at Ruislip.
However, although planning officers had earmarked the scheme for approval,
councillors turned down the application. They argue it is inappropriate
development in the Green Belt and claim no special circumstances exist to
justify it.
Members of the development control committee had deferred the application for
a month to visit the site and look at other alternatives.
Councillor Phil Brading said "(Ruislip) is a very congested site and highly
industrialised and the view I came away with was that there can be absolutely
no doubt this is not a suitable activity for the Metropolitan Green Belt."
According to Councillor Brading, London Underground has failed to prove it
cannot carry out its work without the new depot.
He said: "We can either accept the officers’ recommendation or members can
take the view as I do, that the applicant has not demonstrated with sufficient
rigour that very special circumstances do exist."
Resident Mandy Grant spoke out against the application and criticised London
Underground for not providing adequate information about the plans. She said it
was residents who had notified the council of the contamination of the land
with asbestos, oil and old fuel, and the risk of surface flooding - a factor
that had not been investigated.
She said: "We are being asked to trust the integrity of a company that has
recently sold off large areas of land for property development that was better
suited for this.
"Our planning department has seen fit to put its trust in information the
applicant has put to its disposal but it’s the residents who have highlighted
several serious issues the planning department was unaware of.
"I’m afraid the community does not trust the applicants. Their track
record does not prove they care about anything beyond their surrounding fence."
Speaking after the meeting; Mandy’s husband, Barry, said he was surprised
by the outcome of the meeting but was pleased to have the council on board. He
blamed the officers’ recommendation to grant planning permission on
inadequate information. He said: "If you took the information at face value, it
presented a good case."
Mr Grant admitted he was nervous about an appeal as "precedence has gone in
its (London Underground’s) favour".
Members of Keep Croxley Green will now be lobbying MP’s and other concerned
parties to gather support before an appeal. They want the support of the whole
community as they claim all residents will be affected by the noise from late
night trains travelling to the depot.
Mr Grant said: "It’s heavy engineering, it’s not just a few tracks. Once
they’ve got their foot in the door, it could snowball.
"These things get built because the information isn’t given. We know if
more people knew about it in the village it will help."
For more information or to support the campaign, telephone Barry or Mandy
Grant on 01923 778660.

John Burke
Watford Rail User Group