Commenting on last night’s victory for residents in the controversial Cecile Park planning application, Lib Dem Councillor Robert Gorrie, who spoke against the proposals at the Planning Committee, comments:

“This was a victory for residents, and a victory for common sense. This was the worst kind of backland development, on a site wholly unsuitable to a development of this kind. There were serious questions over the safe access, and the impact on nearby residents. It was very sensibly refused, and the terrible procedural irregularities at the last Planning Committee meeting have now been overcome.”

Local councillor David Winskill (Crouch End) adds:

“This is the latest in a string of planning applications that for seven years have blighted the lives of residents whose homes surround the site. It is high time that a moratorium on such serial applications was declared, to allow local people to put their lives back together again.”