While it's great that the campaigners are taking this on, signing petitions about planning applications is a complete waste of time, except for a campaign to build up a mailing list--but then, they might as well say that's what they're doing and skip giving people false hopes by means of the petition.
Petitions have absolutely no force in planning (a quasi-judicial process). All that matters are planning guidance and other possible legal impediments. I hope the campaigners are also busy finding these, or they'll go the way of so many campaigners I've seen who turn up to planning committee waving their petition, only for it to be completely ignored.
All that said, I support their cause, as I'm very strongly opposed to the spread of these delivery services (stable door, horse, etc.). They undermine local retail and cause immense environmental damage not so much by building distribution centres but simply because people use them.
Public pressure and boycotting can have an effect. The social media campaign is gathering pace, and anecdotally I have seen tweets from many local customers saying they will no longer be using the company.
While it's great that the campaigners are taking this on, signing petitions about planning applications is a complete waste of time, except for a campaign to build up a mailing list--but then, they might as well say that's what they're doing and skip giving people false hopes by means of the petition.
Petitions have absolutely no force in planning (a quasi-judicial process). All that matters are planning guidance and other possible legal impediments. I hope the campaigners are also busy finding these, or they'll go the way of so many campaigners I've seen who turn up to planning committee waving their petition, only for it to be completely ignored.
All that said, I support their cause, as I'm very strongly opposed to the spread of these delivery services (stable door, horse, etc.). They undermine local retail and cause immense environmental damage not so much by building distribution centres but simply because people use them.