Blog by Sean Houlston
Cheshire East Councillors unanimously approved a planning application for a zoo to relocate from Alsager to Bidlea Dairy in Holmes Chapel. This decision comes despite the recommendation from council staff to refuse the application and block a new attraction for our rural cheshire communities.
Spearheaded by Conservative Councillors, the decision to approve has been met with a slap on the wrists by council bureaucrats who announced that they would put another delay on the application by referring it to yet another committee for another round of lengthy discussions.
How can unelected council officers so blatantly go against the democratic mandate of our elected councillors? This move was bureaucratic NIMBYism and hampers the growth of our vital rural economy in Cheshire and is an attack on farmers who are trying to diversify their business. Both of these factors are something that we can all get around.
I’m glad that the pressure on council staff has made them realised their role is to follow the orders of their democratically elected councillors and the matter will not be referred to another committee.
Did we learn nothing from Clarkson’s Farm?
