IOC looks forward to Public Inquiry into Canal Corridor Plans

It's Our City is looking forward to the Public Inquiry into the plan for the Canal Corridor North site submitted by developer Centros. The Inquiry is due to start on 16th June at Lancaster Town Hall and will last for approximately three weeks.

As well as It's Our City, the heritage bodies English Heritage and SAVE Britain’s Heritage will be presenting evidence against the scheme, as will the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Allied Lancaster, the owners of the Marketgate centre in Lancaster, have submitted substantial written evidence against the proposals. The owners of the Marks and Spencer premises in Lancaster have also submitted information regarding their fear that the development will adversely affect the existing city centre. In addition, a number of local people will present their individual concerns to the Inspector.

Cal Giles of It's Our City says “We are very much looking forward to presenting our strong evidence concerning the many failures of this scheme on retail, traffic, air quality, consultation and economic tourism grounds. There are also significant problems with the heritage aspects of the plans, which English Heritage and SAVE will highlight”.

Emilie Secker adds “We are extremely pleased that this ill-advised scheme will now be properly considered in detail. However, we remain appalled that Lancaster City Council is using council tax money to pay for their participation at this inquiry to defend the scheme, when Centros refuses to pay anything or even to attend the inquiry. Council tax payers will have to pay over £100,000 for barristers and expert witnesses at this public inquiry.  Councillors were told that it would cost £50,000 at a time when it was quite obvious that the costs would be at least double this, and in any case, the developer should be paying for this rather than the Council”.