Man dead for three years manages to write letter of support for a Moseley fish and chip shop

Man dead for three years manages to write letter of support for a Moseley fish and chip shop

Last night I asked Birmingham City Council Planning department to investigate ten letters of support for a Moseley fish and chip shop which I believe could be fraudulent. The ten letters included:

• One from a resident who has been dead for three years (he died in April 2009), yet has managed to sign and date a letter 30th May 2012
• One from a resident who makes reference to the dead man already mentioned supporting the planning application.
• Four letters from residents who are not on the electoral register (my electoral register dates from 2nd April 2012)
• One letter that isn’t even signed
• Four letters that have completely different signatures to this in similar letters of support that they provided in 2010. The developer provided a package of letters of support in the 2010 application.

The planning application is 2012/03514/PA - 124 Billesley Lane Moseley Birmingham B13 9RD - Extension to existing A1 retail unit, erection of A5 unit, fish and chip shop, (with roller shutters) & 1 self contained flat on first floor.

The location is a former off-license at the corner of Billesley Lane and Southlands Road. Residents of Moseley will know that up until 3 years ago is was a Victoria Wine shop for almost 30 years and became a Threshers in its final year of existence.

Also, I live 3 doors away from this location at 12 Southlands Road, hence my interest.

This is the fourth attempt by the developer to get planning permission to build a massive two storey side extension for a fish and chip shop. In the previous three attempts the developer has withdrawn the planning application at the last minute. Usually a developer will withdraw a planning application, because the planning officers are recommending refusal and the developer does not want a future application to be blotted by a previous refusal.

The residents who live immediately around this property are not happy with this proposal – this includes me. I’ve objected already and made my neighbours are aware of this application. My objection can be seen at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/97088093/Objection-to-Planning-Application-2012-03514-Pa

I have checked with the Planning department and the application has so far received 19 letters of support and 13 letters of objection. None of the letters of support are from residents who live immediately next to the property. I asked the Planning Department if I could see these letters of support and the first one I saw was from a gentleman who died alone, at 3 Southlands Road in April 2009 – Mr Avtar Singh. The family that have lived there since are of Irish ancestry. This gentleman has managed to sign and date a letter on 30th May 2012, even though he died in 2009!

I have asked Planning Department if 10 out of the 18 letters of support can be investigated and if possible removed.