Letchworth Garden City.Angle : Forum

Re: Planning permission in Letchworth

Posted By: Peter Roberts
Date: 12 Nov 2005 at 17:57


> Ultimately though, the planning regulations in Letchworht make it what it
> is, a garden city; and it's not like these are new regulations -- after
> all, the ideals of the Garden City to protect green areas, yet maintain
> affordable housing for people from all walks of life.
> Without the protection of the planning laws, who's to say that the town
> wouldn't turn into another faceless bunch of suburbia. If I wanted to live
> in a faceless town with no character, I could just as easily move
> somewhere else.
> I think it is generous that people who should've checked the legality of
> fitting replacement windows are getting grants to restore the original
> character of a property -- after all, they probably wouldn't be able to
> afford the repair work otherwise.

Are you kidding?

What is so different in Letchworth to any other town? You say other towns are faceless with no character, try walking around the Jackmans or Grange estate - have these got more character than say Baldock or Royston? Do you really believe Letchworth town centre is the pinnacle of town planning and development? Letchworth has some nice areas and some horrible parts, the same as most towns. It is sadly lacking in facilities and has little or no character in the majority of the housing areas. I fail to see what makes it any better than the vast majority of other towns in the UK.

I was born in Letchworth as were parents and grandparents. My grandmother who is 91 yrs old can remember her father working on the original building of the town. She owns her own property in Letchworth and replaced the windows several years ago to prevent draughts and cold during the winter. The new windows are similar in looks to those replaced and look fine witht he property. However, she did not seek planning permission and she believes it is her choice to work on her own property as she sees fit. And I agree with her. She has hardly slept since recieving this disgraceful leaflet from the Letchworth authorities and is now quite ill because of it. I think it is an absolute disgrace that your town council should dictate to people how they make their own properties look.

Letchworth is not a museum, it is a town like many others. It has no real claim to be anything other than the first garden "city" which is simply a planning policy from many years ago. Do you think Stevenage should have similar laws protecting the properties from being changed or modified? No, I doubt it. The best thing to do there is knock most of it down and start again.

My real point is, when you own something, it is yours to do with as you wish. Nobody has the moral right to dictate how anybody should treat their own property. The only people who feel they have this right are control freaks and unfortunately, misguided politicians who have nothing better to do. If the council in Letchworth spent more effort in providing a good infrastructure and better services, then I would have some time for them. Wasting public money on dictatorial edicts which nobody wants is in my view a criminal waste of public money and they should be locked up.

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