Spurned Bexley cab boss blames 'witch hunt' (From News Shopper)
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Spurned Bexley cab boss blames 'witch hunt'
10:14am Wednesday 27th June 2012 in Bexley By Jim Palmer
Spurned Bexley cab boss blames 'witch hunt'
A BEXLEY businessman has blamed a “witch hunt” and “Chinese whispers” for contributing to his planning application being turned down.
Owner of Bexley Minicabs Mark Campbell’s application to turn the rear of an ironing shop in Bexley Village High Street in to a minicab office was unanimously rebuffed by Bexley Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday, June 14.
The application attracted 23 letters of objection and a petition of 183 signatures, which Mr Campbell says was the result of “misinformation” and a “personal attack”.
Some of the criticism has come, he said, because he is the son of Bexley Council’s deputy leader, councillor Colin Campbell, and he has been accused of not following the planning process.
Mr Campbell, 39, said: “The first thing the person on the planning committee said was he was aware of the negative response it had.”
He added: “I do have a member of my family who is a councillor. Maybe that has not helped the situation.
“We have not hidden anything. As a business we have done nothing wrong. We filled in an application and complied with the law.
“Having the surname Campbell may have been a bad thing.”
He said the campaign against him had grown through “Chinese Whispers”, and that none of the complainants had contacted him to find out about the business.
He said: “It is nonsense and scandalous.
“It is a personal attack, it has nothing to do with the business.”
Mr Campbell said his company had listened to concerns of businesses and residents, which resulted in amendments to the application for reduced opening hours.
Bexley Minicabs also promised to hire a marshall and install CCTV for safety.
Planning officers recommended the application be refused on the basis that there was insufficient parking and access, hazards to pedestrians, noise and disturbance and the potential for increase crime and disorder.
In addition to the petition and letters of objection, the Highways Agency, Environmental Health and Bexley Police had reservations.
Bexley Police said there would be noise and disturbance for residents as well as potential traffic issues with cars meeting drunk people late at night.
Mr Campbell said he is planning to appeal the decision or submit a new application.
Comments(6)
Outandabout
says...
8:28am Thu 28 Jun 12
Invicta58
says...
9:41am Thu 28 Jun 12
I suppose Mark Campbell could argue that he didn't include false and misleading statements because he didn't actually make the application.
Why no mention of, or statement from Ms Byrne, who made the application? Is it her or Mark Campbell's business?
johnnyr987
says...
1:20pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Accusations are being aimed at Mark Campbell due to his father being a Councillor, now I personally do not buy into that, however, I do think Mr Campbell is fully versed in the planning laws and fully understands how to play them to his advantage. I am also disappointed that as the son of a local Councillor he has decided to ignore the overwhelming amount of objections and open his business anyway.
See the truth of all the objection by reading the planners report
http://democracy.bex
ley.gov.uk/documents
/s43760/Report.pdf
the wall
says...
4:53pm Thu 28 Jun 12
Take off the tinfoil hat there were no witch hunts and Chinese whispers. You lied!
Now take the result of that like a man.
amylee31
says...
3:41pm Fri 29 Jun 12
The cab office located on the High Street of Bexley village is not only obscene to look at but also puts peoples lives at risk as pointed out by so many people who objected to the planning application. Did Mark Campbell listen? No . Did he ignore everyone and open for business anyway ? Oh yes.
I also feel sorry for the Police, who despite objecting to the plans on the grounds of public safety, were ignored when he opened anyway without ANY safety measures in place.
I also feel sorry for the Council who despite hearing the application and unanimously turning it down were obviously not important enough to listen to, as he opened anyway.
The Environmental health officer who bothered to write a lengthy objection to exactly why a cab office in this location is dangerous, which Mark Campbell ignored when he opened anyway.
I feel sorry for the businesses and residents in Bexley village who despite organising a thorough petition were ignored by Mark Campbell when he opened anyway.
I feel sorry for the village locals who have to look at the gaudy bright yellow signs in the 'conservation area' of Bexley village, walk their children to school past the taxi's reversing onto the zebra crossing and see the value of their properties depreciate with every slam of the taxi door at 2am.
However most of all I feel sorry for the members of the public who might presume it was a legitimate company and use one of his cabs. Bexley Mini Cabs have ignored the Police, the Council , fellow businesses , Environmental Health so can they be trusted to take people safely home at night ??? I wouldn't take that risk, but that's just me.
Does Mark Campbell deserve sympathy? Probably not. Do I care about who his father is? Definitely not.
Great advert for Bexley Mini Cabs on the front page of The Newshopper though. I'm so pleased at least one local business round here is gaining from them.
Well done to you.
rscott says...
3:19pm Wed 27 Jun 12
And he says he wasn't trying to hide anything?