Tories not behind plans (From Harrow Times)

Tories not behind plans

5:15pm Thursday 2nd April 2009 in

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Gareth Thomas has now put his name to two leaflets about the development of the Harrow-on-the-Hill station site. One makes the claim that a 23-storey building is planned for the site, while the other states it’s going to be a 24-storey building. If he continues to insist on making things up, one would hope that he could at least do it with a degree of consistency.

The truth is this: a planning application for 51 College Road has been lodged by a private developer – these are not “Tory plans”, despite what his leaflets say – which includes plans for a 19-storey building at the site. The council has not given this development the green light; we are considering the impact it would have from every angle before coming to a decision, as is our duty.

Gareth Thomas should also – for his own sake – be careful about trying to play politics with this issue. He is no doubt aware that it was when Labour’s Navin Shah ran the council that steps were taken towards constructing an even taller building on the site, as part of Ken Livingstone’s London Plan.

Last, but by no means least; by spreading these untruths and exaggerations, he is also being unfair to the people of Harrow. How can they be expected to form reasoned opinions on important issues like this when one of their MPs is shoving spin in their faces and not giving them the full picture? With one Harrow MP seemingly confused about whether or not he still lives with his parents, now is not the time for Gareth Thomas to deepen his already familiar aversion to the truth.

Cllr Marilyn Ashton
Portfolio holder for planning, development & enterprise
Civic Centre Harrow