Tory Roehampton steamroller grinds on

The Tories, in what appears to be an act of exceptional desperation, have now put in an application to their own planning committee to bulldozer Roehampton's green space.

It's almost as if they're hoping they can get their crazy, unpopular and poorly thought through plans through before anyone notices.

Fat chance: around 300 Roehampton residents have now responded to my consultation and as the pile of objections grows the message is being sent louder and louder: no way; not here; no thank you.

There is always something a little surreal about a council applying to itself for permission to do whatever it likes and I can perfectly well understand the cynicism this stokes among residents who, almost to a person, feel this council ignores their views and treats Roehampton as a testing ground for whatever mad idea the Conservatives dream up.

Their planning application is not yet online; there is no link to it either on the Roehampton or planning pages of the council website although the latest in their scarcely-noticed redevelopment bulletins is currently being delivered in the area.

There is time to have your say on this application - which looks unchanged to the plans that were consulted on despite the Tories' assurance that comments "were all carefully considered before finalising and submitting" the application. The Council expects the application to be determined some time in January 2009.

Let me say this loud and clear to the Tories: if you do not listen to Roehampton I will submit every single response I have received as part of the consultation on this planning application which will remove any shred of pretense that this has the support of the public.