The Planning Committee will also have to consider Section 66 of the Listed Building Act of 1990, which provides that a planning authority of planning inspector, in dealing with an application for the planning permission for development that affects a listed building or its settings is to have special regard to the desirability or preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses. And the courts have confirmed the importance of the duties under the Listed Buildings Act, as a factor of "considerable importance and weight", when making decisions on planning applications. It follows that the duty to preserve the historic environment is not a secondary issue in relation to the determination of planning applications; it is a very important one.
In my opinion the Planners have for the sake of expedience, omitted to fully consider this part of the Act and should re-examine the dominance of the proposed development over neighbouring listed properties. The momentum is building against this build and if all the planners continue to ignore the Law it gives us perfect reason to seek redress and compensation from the Ombudsman.