Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Sheilbh]

I know there's probably lots wrong with this etc - but on the face of it this is mad

From Cambridgeshire local paper. This seems like an insane level of questioning and scrutiny largely over solar panels from what seems like (based on their statement) a good business trying to do the right thing:

Solar panels dispute delays Jack's Gelato move to Manor Farm, Girton
Published 8 hours ago
on July 4, 2023
By John Elworthy

Manor Farm Girton, Manor Farm, Cambridge Picture by Terry Harris.

A planning dispute over using solar panels has delayed a decision on whether Cambridge ice cream firm Jack's Gelato can move its manufacturing site to Manor Farm, Girton.

South Cambridgeshire District Council is yet to formally approve change of use after disagreeing with proposals by Jack's Gelato for solar panels.

Manor Farm is the small holding once home to former county council deputy leader Roger Hickford before he quit both the tenancy, and shortly afterwards the council, in 2021.

Hickford had won change of use for a canine training centre at Manor Farm but never got to implement his plans fully after an investigation questioned how he had been allowed to secure a tenancy on the Cambridgeshire County Council owned farmhouse and land.

Once he left, the county council accepted a tenancy application from Jacks Gelato.

The company applied for change of use last December to use the site for ice cream manufacturing with a supporting array of solar panels.

But after months of wrangling, the company has agreed to withdraw the solar panels from their application.


After months of wrangling, Jack's Gelato has agreed to withdraw the solar panels from their application for Manor Farm, Girton.

The application is being processed by Charlotte Peet, a senior planner with the Greater Cambridge that handles applications for both Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

In a recent letter to agents for the ice cream firm, she says reasons for 'very special circumstances' (VSC) for solar panels are not explained in sufficient detail.

And she quizzed the agent on the reasons for Jack's Gelato wanting to move to Manor Farm.

"The first VSC of the proposal is the renewable energy generation, this section could be further explained," she said.

"Will the solar panels completely power the building, or will it cover part of the operation?

"The statement needs to provide information on why the proposal site is suitable for the operation of Jack's Gelato, where is their existing manufacturing operations?

"Why is this site the most suitable, were any other sites explored as part of this consideration (why were these discounted)?

"There needs to be justification as to why this needs to be located in the Green Belt, rather than just a countryside location for example?

"The statement should go into why this site is most suitable for Jack's Gelato, position in relation to the city, how employees can get to this site etc.


Claxton Planning argued that their proposals would establish "an Artisan Ice Cream manufacturer on a site that has previously had permission for a significantly more intensive Canine Training Centre Use whilst also boosting biodiversity on site and creating a blueprint for a small, truly sustainable and community orientated business".

Claxton Planning argued that their proposals would establish "an Artisan Ice Cream manufacturer on a site that has previously had permission for a significantly more intensive Canine Training Centre Use whilst also boosting biodiversity on site and creating a blueprint for a small, truly sustainable and community orientated business".

"The document should explore positioning the solar panels closer to the building, rather than protruding out into the countryside in the south east position, could they be contained closer to the building."

Her letter, sent last month, came nearly six months after the change of use application was made.

Ms Peet continued: "The statement needs to go into the benefits of the proposal much more, it may be helpful to think through social, environmental, and economic matters.

"What are the employee benefits and benefits to business of having this site in operation? Is it better than their existing arrangement?

"Are there any benefits to the local community such as educational opportunities or opening the wider site? Will there be a significant biodiversity net gain (this would need to be demonstrated)?

"If this consent is granted to convert the building, then this should be added to the statement for the solar panel application. "

Ms Peet writes: "The document states the building cannot accommodate some panels for various reasons, including the building not being able to structurally accommodate the panels. Has a structural survey been undertaken to evidence this point?

"Could a small number of panels be accommodated on the south west slope?


Manor Farm Girton, Manor Farm, Cambridge Picture by Terry Harris.

"The document states that the car parking area cannot house the panels due to conflict with deliveries and parking, however there appears to be plenty of room to park and turn so what is the conflict?

"Could a small number of panels be accommodated in this location? In addition, if there is shadowing that would prevent this area being used then a plan showing the shadows needs to be submitted.

"The document states that the panels are best located to the south east of the buildings, they would project out in a linear form.

"There appears to be some contradiction as it is suggested that this site would be best in terms of overshadowing issues, however then suggested that additional planting would be achieved along the boundary and wildflower planting around the array.

"It is difficult to understand how any meaningful planting, or any wildflowers could be achieved given the overshadowing concerns.

"If overshadowing is used as justification, the shadowing and the impact on the efficiency needs to be demonstrated. Overshadowing plans would be helpful.

"Following this email, I expect confirmation of the solar panels being removed and confirmation of agreement to an EOT (extension of time) to be sent in writing.

"If you do not remove the solar panels by Monday 12th June, the application will be refused."

Jack's Gelato agent told South Cambridgeshire Council that the company has a strong environmental focus and will be net zero no later than 2030.

"It uses electric vehicles and has minimised use of the single fossil fuel vehicle in its fleet to less than 1000 miles a year, which will be replaced with an electric version when the opportunity arises," says the agents.

"It uses no other fossil fuels in its operations. Every employee travels to work by foot, cycle, or train.

"The company produces less landfill waste than the average household, and far less than the average food business. It is in the process of in investing in equipment that will reduce water consumption by over 96%.

"The company has invested huge resources, both in time and money in sourcing sustainable packaging. This is truly sustainable, which reaches beyond plant-based plastics that many businesses have accepted as a solution.

"Single use plastic and bioplastic has been completely removed. Jack's Gelato leads by example and encourages the wider industry to adopt the same practices.

"The business provides high quality jobs in a sector that is not known for this.

"Salaries are upwards of 20% higher than industry averages, along with a host of other benefits not seen in this sector.

"The business provides high quality jobs in a sector that is not known for this. Salaries are upwards of 20% higher than industry averages, along with a host of other benefits not seen in this sector. "

Agents add that Jack's Gelato is an inclusive employer which promotes and improves diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

James Melville, director of Claxton Planning Services that submitted the application on behalf of Jack's Gelato, has now written back to Ms Peet

"Please accept this email as confirmation of the removal of the solar panel element from the planning application," he confirmed.

The county council had advertised Manor Farm, Girton, to let and said it "comprises about 9 acres of pastureland, a three-bedroom house and a multi-purpose building, both recently refurbished".

Claxton Planning argued that their proposals would establish "an Artisan Ice Cream manufacturer on a site that has previously had permission for a significantly more intensive Canine Training Centre Use whilst also boosting biodiversity on site and creating a blueprint for a small, truly sustainable and community orientated business.

"It also creates much needed rural jobs in a sustainable location that is easily accessible via public transport".

Separately I've gone down a rabbit hole about former Deputy Council Leader and what the local press called "Farmgate" over his tenancy and attempt to start a canine training business on site. Four years of dogged reporting by the local press, which is incredibly admirable that ends with him resigning, surrendering the lease.

It seems there were also reports of bullying and breach of the councillors' code of conduct which also resulted in a separate independent inquiry which is pretty damning.

All round feels like an incredible example of why the local press are so important/valuable.

[Duque de Bragança]

There are btl commenters at the Daily Mail who think that Coutts is part of a woke leftist conspiracy 

Woke leftist? Are there really woke rightist conspiracies to justify the use of leftist to distinguish them? 

Sometimes two or more related adjectives are used in conjuction to create emphasis 

Really?

[Tamas]

"Why is this site the most suitable, were any other sites explored as part of this consideration (why were these discounted)?"

  "have you made all humanly possible efforts to avoid bothering us with your presence?"

Nothing. Is. Allowed. To. Change. Anywhere.

How on Earth is a country supposed to NOT fall into entropy like this?

[Sheilbh]

"have you made all humanly possible efforts to avoid bothering us with your presence?"

Nothing. Is. Allowed. To. Change. Anywhere.

How on Earth is a country supposed to NOT fall into entropy like this?

I'm mildly obsessed with the demands for shadow plans and this contradiction that's been uncovered:

"The document states that the car parking area cannot house the panels due to conflict with deliveries and parking, however there appears to be plenty of room to park and turn so what is the conflict?

"Could a small number of panels be accommodated in this location? In addition, if there is shadowing that would prevent this area being used then a plan showing the shadows needs to be submitted.

"The document states that the panels are best located to the south east of the buildings, they would project out in a linear form.

"There appears to be some contradiction as it is suggested that this site would be best in terms of overshadowing issues, however then suggested that additional planting would be achieved along the boundary and wildflower planting around the array.

"It is difficult to understand how any meaningful planting, or any wildflowers could be achieved given the overshadowing concerns.

"If overshadowing is used as justification, the shadowing and the impact on the efficiency needs to be demonstrated. Overshadowing plans would be helpful.

This is also why, despite the madness of what she tried to do, I'm not totally opposed to Truss' suggestion that there is an "anti-growth coalition" in this country. There's lots of forces in this country that lean towards entropy

This is where I become wildly laissez faire but my basic view is if companies (or individuals) want to install solar panels on their property, they should be allowed to - unless it's, say, listed. Similarly that a productive bit of light industry employing workers is better than an empty unused barn and should be allowed without requiring much justification - the barn is there, it's not getting torn down and replaced with a business park

Edit: Incidentally, worth pointing out that this requirement to remove solar panels from a plan is in a council that declared a climate emergency four years ago. So good to know that it's an emergency but not severe enough to justify overshadowing into the countryside...

[Sheilbh]

Following on from that Orkney story I thought this was interesting - it does seem particularly prominent in Scotland (less sure on Wales) - that basically the SNP in Scotland have replicated many of the problems people have with London in the UK generally and England.

They have been massive centralisers, just on Edinburgh. So the various police forces in Scotland have been abolished and merged into Police Scotland. They haven't devolved power from Holyrood at all and culturally/politically they are very Central Belt. As noted it is a real shift from a party that was, historically, strongest in rural Scotland: Perthshire, Inverness-shire, Moray, Dumfries and Galloway.

And the last leadership contest came down to perhaps old SNP, with Kate Forbes who is suspicious of the coalition with the Greens but also a Gaelic speaker from the Western Isles (and an old school Presbyterian) v Humza Yousaf who is strongly supportive of the coalition, from Glasgow and - like the Scottish Labour leader - he's Scottish-Pakistani and both were privately educated at the same Glasgow school.

Orkney's bid to join Norway is a symptom of SNP arrogance
Scotland's ancient, far-flung communities have had enough of being mistreated by the distant and the ignorant.
By Chris Deerin

Photo by DeForest / Alamy

In his speech at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Donald Dewar said the new institution was "about who we are, how we carry ourselves". On such a historic occasion, the inaugural first minister said, he heard romantic echoes from the past, including "the shout of the welder in the din of the great Clyde shipyards; the speak of the Mearns, with its soul in the land; the discourse of the Enlightenment, when Edinburgh and Glasgow were a light held to the intellectual life of Europe".

Holyrood was intended to be a parliament for all of Scotland, a counter to a distant and often ignorant Westminster, a democracy that was concerned with and knowledgeable about the nation in all its rich diversity. The rural, Doric-speaking folk of the Mearns, in the north-east, would count every bit as much as the city-dwellers of the central belt.

You'd struggle to find many people in the remoter parts of Scotland, both north and south, who believe today that this promise has been kept. Disaffection with Edinburgh now keeps company with the sceptical eye that is still cast towards London.

As it prepares to turn 25, Holyrood seems a voice primarily for the population hubs of middle Scotland. This feeling has intensified as the SNP has become dominated by central-belt politicians. The party owes its modern-day political muscle to its ousting of Labour from Glasgow and the west, and from Fife and parts of Edinburgh in the east. Its last two leaders have been Glasgow MSPs – one attraction of Humza Yousaf to the outgoing regime was that he would maintain Nicola Sturgeon's link to these new Nat heartlands.

Restlessness is growing on the periphery. The latest eruption has come from the Orkney Islands. Councillors there have voted in favour of a motion to seek "alternative forms of governance", which may even include a drastic request to become a self-governing territory of Norway. Culturally, Orkney has always been something of a land apart – the Vikings landed there in the late 8th century and stayed for half a millennium. The islands only became part of Scotland in 1472.

The council leader James Stockan has criticised the funding Orkney receives within the UK, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday (3 July): "The mark of a good government is how it actually supports the periphery and the most disadvantaged. Our communities on the tiniest of our islands are the most difficult to serve... we do look with envy at the communities in Norway where they have a completely different approach to the remote and rural."

But if it is unlikely that the top end of the British Isles is about to snap off – the Norwegian government has declined to comment and may be somewhat spooked by the proposal – there is a battle ahead. Both Westminster and Holyrood are being held culpable: among Orkney's problems is an ageing and failing ferry fleet, an issue familiar to many of Scotland's island communities.

The Western Isles are still waiting for two new SNP-commissioned ferries that were due to begin sailing in 2018, and which have run vastly over budget. Earlier this week, Uisdean Robertson, an independent councillor representing North Uist in the Western Isles, told MPs at the Scottish Affairs Committee that "decisions are taken by people who are remote from the disturbance it causes". At a protest in June, locals said they felt "forgotten, abandoned and ignored" and that they fear an exodus from the islands.

The SNP appears to have lost any rural touch it once had. It is in coalition with the Greens who, despite their pastoral-sounding name, are a heavy-handed, largely urban party with little sympathy for traditional ways of life. Last week Yousaf was forced to announce a rethink of plans promoted by his Green ministers to ban fishing in 10 per cent of Scotland's seas, following an angry rebellion by coastal communities and the SNP MSPs who represent them.

There is also concern among farmers about the SNP-Green approach to managing wild animal stocks and the now banned use of the herbicide Asulox to control bracken and reduce the danger posed by ticks. Meanwhile, the hard-line stance the coalition has taken on the replacement of oil and gas with renewable energy is alienating many of those who work in the oil industry in Aberdeen and its surrounding areas.

The SNP has been an overwhelmingly centralising force in government, a nanny-state administration that seems to think Edinburgh always knows best. It has drained local government of power, and is only now beginning – from a position of weakness – to reconsider the financial and policy freedoms that councils should have.

If Yousaf hears the speak of the Mearns today, it is a shout of fury. Scotland's ancient, far-flung communities have had enough of being mistreated by the distant and the ignorant.

[Syt]

Guess this falls under "technically correct".



"You don't have to use welfare if you fail to make ends meet, you can also just starve. "

[Richard Hakluyt]

I've just reached the point of total disgust with the Tories. There are invertebrate slimy things living at the bottom of scum-covered ponds with more empathy.

[Josquius]

On the devolution thing. Not surprising. I've definitely heard this put forward as an argument against devolution elsewhere in the UK - the north east will just mean all the money goes to Newcastle et al.
And not without cause. This was a slight issue in the old met county.

To me this shows the importance of keeping political and economic capitals seperate. Post the politicians in a remote shit hole of a place.

[Grey Fox]

I've just reached the point of total disgust with the Tories. There are invertebrate slimy things living at the bottom of scum-covered ponds with more empathy.

Grifters. Modern Conservatism is about grifting.

[Syt]

I've just reached the point of total disgust with the Tories. There are invertebrate slimy things living at the bottom of scum-covered ponds with more empathy.

It's especially heinous since I've come across plenty people who were in dire need of assistance and entitled to it, but refused to take it out of pride.

[Admiral Yi]

I've just reached the point of total disgust with the Tories. There are invertebrate slimy things living at the bottom of scum-covered ponds with more empathy.

I think since Brexit the actual policies of the Tories have been quite defensible and their sins have consisted primarily of bad visuals.  I ask you to consider that you might have been triggered by Brexit.

[garbon]

I've just reached the point of total disgust with the Tories. There are invertebrate slimy things living at the bottom of scum-covered ponds with more empathy.

I think since Brexit the actual policies of the Tories have been quite defensible and their sins have consisted primarily of bad visuals.  I ask you to consider that you might have been triggered by Brexit.

[Gups]

I've just reached the point of total disgust with the Tories. There are invertebrate slimy things living at the bottom of scum-covered ponds with more empathy.

I think since Brexit the actual policies of the Tories have been quite defensible and their sins have consisted primarily of bad visuals.  I ask you to consider that you might have been triggered by Brexit.

We've had three prime ministers since Brexit with a range of different and contradictory policies. To the extent that policies have been defensible, they have largely been reversals by Sunak of previously indefensible policies relating to Brexit e.g. the Northern Ireland protocol and the repeal of EU regulations en masse without replacements available.

Elsewhere there have been some truly dreadful policies on immigration (allowing huge numbers of student visas while dog whistling on refugees) and planning/house building. Foreign policy under Sunak has been decent.  I can't really think of much else of interest on the policy front. It's largely crisis management at this point with various attempts to stoke up culture wars in the press.

[Sheilbh]

It's especially heinous since I've come across plenty people who were in dire need of assistance and entitled to it, but refused to take it out of pride.

Although food banks aren't welfare. They are charities giving out packages - in the areas I've lived overwhelmingly religious charities, normally the local church or mosque. I think the common criticism from the left in the UK (which I basically agree with) is food banks shouldn't exist and it's a failure if they do.

Food bank usage has increased massively in the last 15 years, although I believe that's happened across Europe.

There's two things Tories tend to say to argue that food bank usage isn't, in itself, an indication of poverty. One actually lots of people who use food banks do so when they have "complex situations" or "chaotic circumstances" - so lots of payments come due at the same time, or a relationship breaks down and you suddenly need to find a new flat pay a deposit etc. I think that's basically Mercer's point, badly expressed. The other thing is that under Labour the state didn't allow Job Centres etc to inform people about food banks or other local charitable help. My understanding is that there is some truth to both of those - people do use food banks as a help in a difficult month rather than because they're in need or poverty generally and people weren't told about them under the last government. But I also think that overwhelmingly the largest reasons people use them and use has exploded is because of an increase of poverty and need (particularly in large families hit by the various caps Osborne brought in or people facing the sanctions regime from IDS).

[Sheilbh]

Elsewhere there have been some truly dreadful policies on immigration (allowing huge numbers of student visas while dog whistling on refugees) and planning/house building. Foreign policy under Sunak has been decent.  I can't really think of much else of interest on the policy front. It's largely crisis management at this point with various attempts to stoke up culture wars in the press.

Agree and probably similar with Johnson.

I think where there is maybe a point is that their record of actually doing things is not very great. Despite a big majority, they're not actually passing much legislation - a lot of things are literally not of interest because there's nothing there. From what I understand (with three bills in my area working through parliament) is parliamentary time is pretty slack at the minute.

I'm not sure if that makes it more or less defensible so much as just that it feels like they've run out of road.