Councils play damaging property game: short-term gain but long-term threat to London

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Authors: Cyril Richert & Jane Clifton

Capture from BBC 1 Inside Out documentary

On Tuesday 3rd September, BBC1 released a very interesting documentary on Council regeneration plans (BBC1 Inside Out 03/09/2018). The programme featured Westminster’s “regeneration” programme (this city council plans to flatten 300 homes at the Ebury Bridge estate in Pimlico to make way for 750 new properties, the majority of which will be sold on the private market) but it also dealt with the issue more widely – the property development activities of various other London Councils.

The 29-minute documentary clearly shows why getting rid of council housing in favour of expensive redevelopments and making financial gains for the Councils (and more obviously private developers) is such bad news long term for London: pushing out vital elements of the population who help to keep the city running.
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Planning Forum meeting 4th July 2018: discussion on planning reforms

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Author: Cyril Richert

Planning Applications Committee – Room 123

The new format of the Planning Forum meeting, instigated by Cllr Will Sweet (who is also chair of the Planning Application Committee) last January, allowed once again to dedicate a large part of the time to items raised by Forum members. The main discussion, based on CJAG’s suggestion, was about planning reforms. Continue reading →

In an alternative reality, the Council is giving itself a ‘pat on the back’

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Author: Cyril Richert

New façade of the Alchemist pub in St John’s Hill

The façade of the Fishmonger/Alchemist pub in St John’s Hill has been “restored” with an additional element on the left of the original building. The Council is now claiming that it has been “restored back to its original Victorian-era splendour after the council took legal action to force the developer to rebuild it“.

However in reality the initial planning permission to knock down the façade and rebuild was refused, the developers did it anyway, then submitted a retrospective application similar to their original one, this time approved by the Council. Continue reading →

‘Because you are choosing to live in London, you have no right to sunlight’, the London Assembly hears

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Author: Cyril Richert

London Assembly – Planning Committee – 27-06-2018

The London Assembly Planning Committee was discussing tall buildings this Wednesday 27 June at 11 10 am. As the meeting is open to the public, it was an occasion to attend (but it was also possible to watch online).

The purpose was to debate on the recommendations set out in a report of the Executive Director of Secretariat relating to the growth of applications for tall buildings and their implications for draft London Plan policy.

It is interesting to quote the Committee position (in the report 3.4-):

“The Committee has consistently recommended that Mayoral planning policy is strengthened to restrict the location of London’s tall buildings and improve their design and scrutiny of potential alternative design configuration. Moreover, the Committee agrees that tall residential buildings are not an answer to London’s real housing needs and as such should not be encouraged outside of a few designated and carefully managed areas of London.”

In a nutshell, more or less what CJAG (and Societies in Wandsworth borough) has said for a long time already, unfortunately without any consideration (except maybe when the Council’s spokesperson saying we were nimbyes!). Continue reading →

Winstanley regeneration: Can we trust the Council?

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Author: Cyril Richert

Following the initial consultation in 2013, the Council has presented several exhibitions (so-called “consultations”) of what Ravi Govindia calls now “the vision created with the help of the local residents“.

As the leader of the Council might reveal soon the 50+ storey landmark that he is planning for the area (nicknamed Govindia Wharf) this is interesting to see the difference between what local residents responded to and the current presentations.

Board presenting the result of the consultation in 2013

Evolution of the size of the leisure centre proposal from 2013 to 2018

Evolution of the size of the Grant Road proposal from 2013 to 2018

Evolution of the size of the main Winstanley blocks proposal from 2013 to 2018

Do you think this is a definition of “taking into account the result of consultation“?

And by the way, this is Winstanley & York estates in 2018:

Winstanley & York Road estates in 2018

Another 20 storeys in York Road? After Homebase and B&Q, Travis Perkins plot might soon become a target for developers

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Author: Cyril Richert

Soon a new 20 storey towers in Lombard Road?

And another one! Thanks to Wandsworth Council series of approval, 20 storey towers become now the norm (or a starting point) for developers in York Road area.

Big Yellow Self-Storage Company has submitted a screening application (p.a. 2018/2369) for demolition of the existing buildings and redevelopment of the site with 168 residential units in stepped buildings up to 20 storeys in height, a new self-storage warehouse unit, approximately 79 new car parking and 336 cycle spaces within a basement, landscaping, and formation of new public space and pedestrian and vehicular access.   Continue reading →