I was thinking "clubcard" points TBH.

Your generosity knows no bounds!!

I have my tin hat on!!





but to keep you up to speed (Not that I have any support or involvement with them - just an interest in the whole process, both Cas and Wakey - Ask I_A and I am sure he will confirm)



AFAIK - Barton Willmore represent the local objectors (I presume) their client is Wakefield Residents Interest Group - whoever that may be.



BTW They are representing the same group at the LDF Inquiry also.

No 5h1t Sherlock - that's exactly what it says on the letter.

A letter which you have seen only today but hey!



Whatever!





I'm sure you have known of their involvement for weeks/months.

Whereas I'm certain that you definitely have known about it for weeks/months (which is it?) and I can completely understand that given that level of inside knowledge, you chose not to make a post about it until someone else had posted a public document containing all the details. Furthermore, I think it's totally credible that when you did choose to reveal the extent of your inside information, it amounted to nothing more than was actually in that public document that someone else had posted.



What, and indeed, ever.

Barton Willmore are planning consultants, as I am sure you have gathered, so yes, they are guns for hire by the nature of what they do as consultants. It is unusual for a planning consultant to be asked to speak out against a development, because the overwhelming majority of their work will be for developers, again for obvious reasons, and most objectors to a scheme don't have the money to pay someone upwards of £100 an hour for their time!!!



We have known for sometime that they intended to get a planning consultant/advocate on board but didn't know exactly who they were... but now we do.



As for bigalf, well you can't have known about them for long, because on the very draft LDF programme issued on the 26th October they were not shown on at all (although, we thought it might be D J Taylor as we were not sure who he was), then the programme, issued just yesterday, suddenly this Wakefield Residents Interest Group appears on the LDF documents and then this e-mail (well spotted Wakefield No. 1) appears. I suspect they have not wanted to start the 'fee clock' ticking until as late as possible to keep the cost down, which I assume some of the more affluent residents of Newmarket Lane will be footing the bill for.



Wakefield Residents Interest Group is not quite as emotive as some of their previous group names, but I think the Newmarket Lane Residents wanted to stress that they are indeed Wakefield Residents (and not Leeds) and to counter the valid criticism and known fact that most of the current objectors to the scheme, don't live in Wakefield!



So, no surprise really, we were expecting this consultant to appear and he will clearly speaking on behalf of the Newmarket Lane residents themselves.



We know that June Fender is also going to put herself forward as representing Wakefield & Leeds Community Conservation Group and not Methley Residents Association. We heard that maybe one or two people involved with MRA are not comfortable with how June has used her position and the newsletter but also, we think she is trying to get away from the being in Leeds tag and not Wakefield.



So, like I said, this is the roller coaster and this is what we expected was going to happen.

iA,

how much impact will these late changes have,

how much credibility will the consultants give the Residents Group

Will they bring the expected argument or is it possible they've got something up their sleeve.



My worry here is that for residents to pay a consultant £100+ per hour they must be confident that their money is being well spent.

Do they have some 'game changing' info that they want delivered in the most professional manner they can so as to ensure it derails the whole project?

I hope someone points out the incongruity of their position at the hearing; a few choice pro-development quotes from their website should be enough to raise questions about their credibility.



I'm about to email them by the way, to say thank you for reversing their stated position on development in the pay of a few NIMBY's who can't see past their own back garden, in an attempt to block a community sports facility that will benefit the WMD for generations to come in terms of public health, inward investment and community cohesion. Way to go Barton Willmore!

You may find that BW are the retained consultants for one or more of the 'alternative' sites which were removed from the draft LDF plans and are not supported currently by WDC.



Either way, it all goes to show that we must maintain our guard on all levels!

Does this document suggest a working relationship between BW and LCC on other developments and related enquiries, if so could they be here at the behest of LCC and not the residents? docs.google.com/a/student.leedsm ... wdeQ&pli=1

Does this document suggest a working relationship between BW and LCC on other developments and related enquiries, if so could they be here at the behest of LCC and not the residents? docs.google.com/a/student.leedsm ... wdeQ&pli=1

The title Wakefield Residents Interest Group makes me laugh.

Residents I have spoken to from areas such as Sandal, Crigglestone, Durkar, Walton, Crofton etc etc could either not care less about the proposed development or else think it good for the area as a whole re. jobs and amenities.

They are falsely trying to claim they represent a wider community than they actually do.