Campaigners fighting Royal Mail’s planning application to build its new depot in Patcham have asked for the application to be called in by the Secretary of State. Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee agreed to be “minded to grant” the application subject to planning agreements after three hours of deliberations on Wednesday, September 4. Patcham resident Paul Mannix has submitted the request to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, deputy Prime Minster Angela Rayner.
By calling in the application Mr Mannix has to put together a “statement of case”. During the process the Planning Inspectorate will review the application and all accompanying documents and plans before publishing a report. Mr Mannix, who has dressed up as “Mr Poop” for protest, has been campaigning on fixing the raw sewage flooding Patcham’s streets and the risk that the Royal Mail’s now granted planning permission will make that much worse.
On Thursday, a day after the council's decision, heavy rain brought flooding throughout the village, angering campaigners who highlighted the flooding issues to the planning committee. He said: “I was shocked and appalled at the planning committee yesterday at Hove Town Hall. “The chair gave much more time to the Royal Mail speakers when asked questions by local councillors and then refused to give locals more than 30 seconds to answer councillors’ questions.
“The chair ran roughshod over all the evi.