‘Hands tied’ on 102 homes plan

Senator Cohen told a ministers’ public meeting yesterday that his hands were tied by the 2002 Island Plan – which came into force before he was elected – which zoned the site for 97 homes. Senator Cohen told objectors to Dandara’s scheme that it would be unfair to the developers to change the number of homes allowed on the site. He said he was required only to decide whether the new scheme was satisfactory and whether the five more houses were justified. ‘I am in a difficult position in relation to this site and a number of the sites in my first year as Planning Minister,’ he said. ‘I have to make a decision which, if I were given a blank sheet, I would make very differently. I would not be looking at 97 houses on this site. I would probably put about 60 on it.