when i heard about the fire, my immediate thoughts were that it was deliberate ( yes i know...i'm a cynical person). i was informed earlier, by someone i know and completly trust ( he's been a valuable source of info regarding council and steelwork 'inside info' for 15+ years), that planning permission had been sought (prior to the fire having gutted the lido) for a housing development on the lido site..... along with planning permission for a 50m community pool on the adjacent car park area.
my response to this was that while i appreciate there's some level of corruption in local councils ( or maybe its me being cynical?) surely there's some kind of paper trail for a criminal investigation to be justified?
to which i recieved a fact that the Aberavon beach hotel ( a listed building i believe?) had had planning permission sought, for a housing development, albeit while it was derelict, but hadn't yet been completly destroyed by a fire. there's now a housing development there.
the same goes for the vivian park hotel. same request for planning permission, destroyed by fire, housing developement is now going ahead.
I know i can be cynical (overly sometimes) but surely it cant be just me (and my mate
) who think this all sounds a bit dodgy?