Architecture placed before urgent need for facilities (From Salisbury Journal)

Architecture placed before urgent need for facilities

11:50am Thursday 6th September 2012 in Salisbury Letters

WHEN architectural obsession overrides the urgent need for improvement of crematorium facilities, something has to be wrong with the planning process.

Drawings available on the planning web indicate it is not even the case the crematorium will be massively altered or its character changed, neither in my view is the building anything other than typical of its time.

An application was properly made to the planning authority and after the period allowed for representation, a planning permission was granted by Wiltshire Council .

Two anonymous people have been allowed to cause what will be considerable expense and delay and add to pressure on a stretched public purse.

So your planning permission when granted could be worthless, wow! This matter is so serious, the planning authority must make representation to the highest authority.

Mr Cameron is apparently concerned that planning process will slow economic growth.

Someone needs to draw this to his attention. Localism must not mean increasing the power of individuals to press subjective opinion in the face of proper process. Back door pressure is not acceptable.

I have attended several funerals at Salisbury Crematorium when it simply could not cope with either mourners or parking requirements.

There is no doubt the work is needed.

If we place architecture before those it serves, it suggests a society in very deep trouble, way beyond any economic crisis.

GREGOR CONDLIFFE, Royal Institute of British Architects