E-Mail from Shirley Hughes, Lixwm 3rd February, 2000

Dear CANK

What a shame that the councillors of Flintshire Planning Committee have
approved the Castle Cement Application.  They should all be ashamed of
themselves for being taken in by the Castle Cement propaganda.  The
comment that they wanted to protect the 250 local jobs shows a very
limited view of the world doesn't it?  What about the jobs they could
have helped to safeguard  the Welsh coal industry by using coal from
Point of Ayr etc?   Never mind that it was against the electorates
wishes. The question is, what can be done now?  Can the Secretary of
State for Wales call the application in?  Please let me know if there
are any more letters to write or leaflets to deliver.  I have already
written to the councillors, planning office, National Assembly office,
newspapers etc.

The problem is that planning law is not linked to environmental
considerations, therefore, you have to argue on points of planning law
i.e. "not in keeping with the rest of the site", or "traffic volumes"
or "greenfield site " arguments etc.  Maybe if this one is lost we
should be campaigning to get the Welsh Office planning Laws changed to
reflect the environmental considerations and maybe push for referendums
on large, contentious planning applications.  If the Planning law is not
changed, then Wales will be a "sitting duck" for any dirty industry
planning application and let's face it, we can't rely on our councillors
to "do the right thing".

Best wishes, you did the best you could, lets hope this isn't the end of
the matter.

Yours sincerely
 
 
 

Shirley Hughes