Plans for a new multi-million pound mixed housing and business development at Hereford’s Holmer Trading Estate could be shelved as Herefordshire Council carries out an investigation into concerns raised by existing tenants.
The council’s central area planning sub committee is due to consider an application from site landlords Hereford Residential Developments Ltd today (Wednesday), but intervention by Lib Dem Councillor Heather Davies and Lib Dem leader Councillor Terry James has prompted council action.
During a tenants’ meeting last week, claims were made that some tenants had been offered reduced rents if they agreed to withdraw objections to the development scheme while another had a substantial increase when he opposed plans, that some were consistently told there were no plans to develop, and that information about plans had been slow to materialise – or had simply not been supplied.
One tenant told the Journal: “Leases are a huge issue here. Some tenants have bought their businesses on the backs of mortgages on their homes, and houses and family futures are on the line.
“The majority of people on site did not receive planning notification notices, and in the end the two or three who did had to send out photocopies of what was intended to the rest of us.”
The meeting was shocked to hear a tape recording, a copy of which is in the hands of the Journal, of a conversation between a tenant and a man called Pete, which provides clear evidence of pressure being applied for an objection to be withdrawn.
The tenant is told he owes £3,000 in rent, and is told: “All I am asking you to do is to withdraw your objection. That is the end of the story”.
Failure to do so meant “action” would be taken, the recording says. “Push it a bit further and get the bailiffs in” and “if I do a deal with you, then that’s a deal”, the tenant is told on the recording.
“If you can’t pay me back, all I am asking you to do is withdraw your objection”, says “Pete”.
Councillor James told the Journal: “This only came to light when Councillor Davies received complaints and a tape recording about improper pressure placed on tenants at the estate to support the application or withdraw objections.
“At the meeting with tenants it became obvious there was a great deal of alarm about the way the application had been handled and pursued to get it before the committee.
“Councillor Davies does not represent the Holmer area, but has a number of estate tenants living in her Belmont ward.
“She acted very quickly, and we hope the application will now be withdrawn while a full investigation takes place.”
A Herefordshire Council spokesman said the planning application for a mixed use development at Holmer Trading Estate was received on May 25, 2007.
“All the properties on the trading estate were notified about the planning application and notices have been displayed on the site.
“As stated in the report going to the sub-committee, 16 out of the 39 businesses on the site have subsequently sent in letters of objection to the plans.Four of the firms objecting have since formally withdrawn their objections as they have been offered units as part of the redevelopment scheme.
“The planning application was first discussed at the central area planning sub-committee on June 11 2008 and deferred to enable members to undertake a site visit before determining the application,” it said.
Despite several approaches by the Journal, nobody from Hereford Residential Developments was available for comment as we went to press.
lThe Journal Says – Page 4
