Image of the front cover of the, now defunct, MSDC  Draft District Paln

At the recent meeting on 14th October, of MSDC’s Planning & Economic Scrutiny Committee, the revised Draft District Plan was approved to proceed for public consultation between November and January 2015. Dates are to be finalised along with a number of other key supporting reports before the Plan is finally ready to go out to the public.

I supported this process as due to the previous plans demise. It failed to proceed when the Governments Planning Inspector rejected it in December 2013. Mid Sussex has had to take some, unwelcomed, developers plans before and since that time because of the councils inability to show it has a supply of land to support at least five years of development. This is another story of Tory failure to manage planning over many years though.

During the meeting the Tory Cabinet Councillor, Gary Marsh attacked my version of the facts surrounding the Councils forced withdrawal of the earlier District Plan. I can understand his embarrassment, he was the Cabinet Councillor responsible for assuring the Council everything was sweetness and light with the earlier, now defunct plan and that it was a marvel which reflected all the hard work he had put into its preparation.

However, that said I think he went a bit over the top this evening by suggesting I blamed him personally, but then again, if the cap fits…!