Cabinet Capitulates!

It's Our City express disbelief and dismay at the decision taken on 25th July by Lancaster City Council Cabinet. The Cabinet voted to proceed with plans to develop the Canal Corridor North site despite the failure by developers Centros Miller to provide detailed information on how the extra traffic generated would be dealt with and on how the development would affect existing city centres in Lancaster and Morecambe. In addition, Cabinet members took this decision without all having seen the results of a survey of residents carried out last autumn by Centros Miller, and appeared to lack detailed knowledge of the scale of the proposals.

Shockingly, Cabinet were instructed by the Chief Executive that Centros Miller would not finish their studies on traffic and the impact on Lancaster and Morecambe unless the Council committed to the plan. This appears tantamount to blackmail.

Despite the lack of information in support of the scheme, Cabinet members ignored the views of local residents - who packed the public gallery during the meeting - and the arguments of Councillors Barry and Whitelegg regarding the potentially devastating impact of the development on Lancaster and especially Morecambe. Graham Wynne of It's Our City commented 'I was appalled that Councillor Alex Stone said that Morecambe would be better off with more car parks rather than more shops! Is regeneration in Morecambe to be abandoned so that Lancaster can have a development that it doesn't even want?'

The Cabinet furthermore displayed a disappointing lack of imagination regarding other options for this site. Emilie Secker said 'It beggars belief that particularly Abbott Bryning, who is a councillor for the ward where this development is planned, seems to know so little about what the area needs and what local people want. To say that this is the only option is both cowardly and out of touch'.

It's Our City have vowed to continue the fight against this development. Whilst hopeful that the Cabinet would listen to local people, It's Our City are hardly surprised that they took this decision, given Lancaster City Council's previous record! However, It's Our City are shocked by this display of cowardice from our so-called representatives.

As a matter of record, the Cabinet voted as follows: In favour - Ian Barker (Bulk, Labour), Eileen Blamire (John O'Gaunt, Labour), Abbott Bryning (Bulk, Labour), John Gilbert (Scotforth East, Liberal Democrat), Janice Hanson (Harbour, Labour), Pat Quinton (Lower Lune Valley, Liberal Democrat), Ron Sands (Heysham North, Labour), Alex Stone (University, Liberal Democrat) Against - John Barry (Castle, Green) Absent - Gina Dowding (Dukes, Green).

It's Our City are currently considering future options, including an election strategy for the local elections next May.