Council to take extraordinary action for Hagley homes debate (From Stourbridge News)

Council to take extraordinary action for Hagley homes debate

9:47am Friday 4th January 2013 in Local

BROMSGROVE Council is taking extraordinary action to ensure a controversial Hagley housing debate is witnessed by as many people as possible.

A plan for 175 new homes at a site on Kidderminster Road, which has generated fierce opposition in the village, is to be determined by Bromsgrove District Council's planning committee on Monday January 7.

In anticipation of a large number of members of the public expected to attend the meeting, the council is taking steps to ensure the entire legal capacity of the council chamber on Burcot Lane – 150 seated people – is available on the night.

Temporary walls are being removed to maximise space, full seating is being added, and attendees for other agenda items are being requested to attend only after the 90 minutes from the start of the meeting at 6pm, after the time allocated for the application has elapsed.

The public gallery will accommodate around 125 people including journalists and registered speakers on the application.

Head of Legal and Democratic Services Claire Felton said: “We’ve done everything we can to push the capacity of our public meeting rooms to their absolute legal limit for this meeting.

“We are legally responsible for ensuring people are safe on our premises and we will follow the law, having to turn anyone away is the last thing we would want to do.”

Minutes from the meeting will also be made available in on the council's website.