Multi-millionaires fighting a five-year feud over their gated community have won the right to segregate themselves from their neighbours.Basically, they’ve outspent the local council. Quite a feat!
Home owners in the publicly-owned part of Coombe Park feared the creation of a Los Angeles-style gated community.I can’t see why. It matters little to me what my neighbours do to prevent crime, so long as it doesn't impact upon me. Why does it upset some so much?
Opposing lawyers have fought over the issue since Kingston Council told Coombe Park Limited (CPL) to tear the gate down in May 2009 because it was built on the public section of the road.Very sensible. They can’t be very sure of their case, then…
However, councillors admitted defeat last week because of the dispute’s spiralling costs, and voted to enter into an agreement with CPL rather than risk £100,000 of taxpayers’ money by going to the High Court.
Dr Robin Tillett, a Coombe Park resident who campaigned against the gate, said: “I think the council has let us down.What does it matter to you if ‘gates go up everywhere’? Is it that you resent the fact that these people have the money to put them up, and you don’t?
“They didn’t follow through properly with the whole issue and it’s going to be a complete disaster because they are going to keep the gates, and next gates will be going up everywhere.
“If they had acted properly at the start and put an injunction on them then this wouldn’t have happened, which is why we have got to where we are.”
Are you one of those people who would rather all were equally miserable than that some were 'unfairly' happy?
Perhaps you should be looking to your local magistrate's court policies instead?
Speaking after the meeting Councillor Patrick Codd said there was no other way forward, despite his fears of a divided community.
He said: “Unfortunately we were in a situation when we were going to High Court to talk about a few feet of land. It would have been difficult because there is no guide. This is something very very difficult to prove.
“I am opposed to gated communities, they breed fear of crime and they are antisocial.”Just how do they do that? And is a security gate more ‘antisocial’ than letting vandals rob and damage with impunity?
Perhaps you should be looking to your local magistrate's court policies instead?
7 comments:
And here was little old me thinking that it was active criminals that breed a fear a crime. Not all councils are opposed to security gates. In Blackpool many public alleys have been gated to try and prevent crime. I guess the objection is only when the well off do it at their own expense rather than demanding that council tax slaves foot the bill.
It matters little to me what my neighbours do to prevent crime, so long as it doesn't impact upon me
Could it be argued that if your neighbours erect security gates it makes their properties harder to burgle, which makes yours easier to burgle relatively speaking, so it makes you more likely to be a victim of crime? By erecting security gates your neighbours are failing to accept their fair share(!) of crime.
Just How Do Security Gates 'Breed Crime'..?
On a light note:
- vandalism, when some joker chains the gates shut shortly before the Monday morning commute, or the week-end getaway;
- theft, when someone steals them (or bits) for the metal;
- civil unrest, when someone chains themselves to the (replacement) gates for a green/anti-car protest;
- GBH, when the gated residents do over the protestor due to their frustration at the vandalism and theft of the gates from their 'crime free' community.
It's the "fear of crime" again.
"Fear of crime" is much easier than "crime", to manipulate up and down as needed to suit the current agenda.
Councils running out of money puts them in the same situation as the rest of us. They will have to pick their cases well and not issue a blanket No to just every body.
I see a lot of similar things happening now when those with the money realise that together they can get what they want.
It is so sad. :)
Gates make criminals target non-gated homes, so those outside will see more crime. The problem is not the gates, but the crims.
Fix the illness, not the symptom. But socialised and tall-poppy cutters want their envy politics, "bless".
"Not all councils are opposed to security gates. In Blackpool many public alleys have been gated to try and prevent crime."
Same here. It's clearly OK when the council do it!
"By erecting security gates your neighbours are failing to accept their fair share(!) of crime."
Yup, that's Roger Thornhill's 'tall poppy' syndrome in a nutshell!
""Fear of crime" is much easier than "crime", to manipulate up and down as needed to suit the current agenda."
It's much easier to state too, without anyone asking awkward questions about your evidence...
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