Campaigners against plans for a 1,100-home “Nantwich South” scheme, have cast doubt on dozens of letters of support.
Protect Stapeley say some letters claiming to back Muller Property’s plans which have been published on Cheshire East Council’s website may not be valid.
They claim letters have been sent in from named residents who have not been contacted, and from elderly householders who were quizzed but did not sign or offer to support it.
It appears some letters have been sent in twice, others with the wrong street name on, and others with no name attached or with names redacted.
Muller Property has submitted plans for the first stage of a “village” on fields off Peter de Stapleigh Way, Stapeley. The first stage includes 189 homes, business units, village centre, a primary school, and play area.
Today, company boss Colin Muller said he was unaware of such letters but promised to “look into it”.
Protect Stapeley campaigner Pat Cullen said: “Approximately 48 letters of support are unnamed or the names have been redacted.
“Three letters have been sent in twice as they contain the same names and addresses but they have different Cheshire East ‘Received’ date stamps.
“I have no idea who sent these letters, but my view is that the object of these letters is to distort the planning process.
“A point of concern for me was how shocked some of the often elderly people I spoke to were when told that their name and address was on a website for all to see and they were supporting a planning application they had no knowledge of.”
Colin Muller, of Muller Property, told Nantwichnews he would look into any supporting letters which campaigners have cast doubt on.
“Just as the anti-development people are trying to get people to object to the scheme, my aim is that the facts of the scheme are known,” he said.
“Our job is to make sure we give as much information to the people of Nantwich about the scheme so they can make their own decisions. And we have been active in providing information.
“If campaigners want to contact me and give me names and addresses of the people who say they were not contacted or did not support, we’ll look into it.”
A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: “These allegations have very recently been brought to our attention.
“We are now considering our position regarding the matter.”
Members of the public have until Wednesday November 14 to submit their objections or support for the plans.
Mr Imby is being rather selective with his comments.
I fully approve of letters of support for this planning application as this is part of a fair and open planning process.
However, the letters alluded to in the article above were bogus as a number were proven to be from housholds who had no knowledge of the letter they were supposed to have sent to the Council. Somewhat akin to identity fraud.
I’m sure Mr Imby would not approve of his name and address being used to support or object to a planning application without his knowledge or permission.
What! Letters of support? Surely not? You mean there are some people out there who actually have the nerve to disagree with the vociferous majority.
if anything is distorting the planning process it is the constant barrage of anti-Stapeley publicity, much of it based on nothing more ‘objective’ than a selfish desire to maintain the status quo, from people who themselves live in houses built on what were green fields 15 years ago.
I’m amazed that the objectors have so little confidence in their position that they feel obliged to question any support for the scheme. ‘Approximately’ 48 letters in favour of it are hardly likely to swing the balance, are they?