Grantham’s long-awaited southern relief road which was due to be given the go-ahead by South Kesteven District Council development control committee on August 27, has had the application “withdrawn”.
Lincolnshire County Council highways chief, Richard Davies calls this a “hiccup” which will not cause delay. SKDC denies that the withdrawal was taken because of any legal challenge, but claims that the reason was “to request further information from the applicant (LCC)”.
Surely a “withdrawal”, by definition, is a retraction of a previous commitment - so why choose that term if the commitment remains? Also, considering the years of discussions that have gone on since the relief road was first proposed, it is nothing short of scandalous to be told at the eleventh hour that those involved in granting approval need “further information” and to suggest that this so-called “hiccup” will not cause delay is patently incorrect beccause the approval date has now been pushed back.
Is there simply too much bureaucracy smothering such projects?
Would those involved on all sides move faster and more effectively if they were paid for hitting deadlines and penalised for over-running? Perhaps they are quite content to talk ad nauseam in a tangle of red tape, because salaries will still be paid if it takes decades longer than planned and achieves results well below expectations.
Parkinson’s Law (1958): “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Seems to be even more enthusiastically followed today.
Brian Bruce
Bourne Road, Colsterworth