THE Casino Advisory Panel's decision not to shortlist Solihull as the home for the regional casino "defies belief". That's the opinion of council leader, Ted Richards who was left reeling at the announcement this week. Coun Richards, said: "I cannot believe this decision. Our proposal was such a strong one. How can the Casino Advisory Panel overlook the potential of this borough in this way? Excellent location, superb road, rail and air links and a potential site that surely cannot be matched anywhere. This defies belief." On Wednesday the panel announced a provisional shortlist of successful proposals that will be taken forward for further evaluation. Although the borough is no longer in the running to be home of a new regional casino, it will still be considered as a large casino. Chairman of the panel, Professor Stephen Crow, said: "I know that our decisions will cause a disappointment to some, not least to authorities. But the competition has been very strong, and so it is inevitable that some proposals have to yield before more powerfully justified cases." The provisional shortlists will now be the subject of consultation, and consultees (Regional Planning Bodies, Regional Development Agencies and comparable bodies in Wales and Scotland) will have the chance to pass their views to the panel. Members of the public will also be able to express their opinions on the broad location of casinos until June 28. Solihull Council is now urging the panel to reconsider its provisional short listed areas for a regional casino. Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Ian Courts, said: "We will be putting our weight behind Advantage West Midlands' representation together with our partners in Birmingham to seek reconsideration by the CAP and make sure Solihull and the West Midlands do not miss out." The shortlist of eight competing proposals for the regional casino are: Blackpool, Brent, Cardiff, Glasgow, Greenwich, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield. The shortlist for the 31 large and small casinos are: Bath and NE Somerset, Bournemouth, Brighton, Canterbury, Chelmsford, Dartford, Dudley, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lindsey, Gt Yarmouth, Hastings, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Luton, Mansfield, Middlesborough, Milton Keynes, Newham, NE Lincs, Peterborough, Restormel, Scarborough, Sefton, Solihull, Southampton, South Tyneside, Swansea, Thurrock, Torbay, Wolverhampton. |
