A public representation hearing was due to be held in the Chamber at City Hall on Monday 18 April 2016, starting at 1pm for the Mayor to consider this application in detail and determine whether or not planning permission should be granted.
Following a request from the applicant to defer the Representation Hearing in order to allow time to amend the application to address the concerns raised in the Stage 3 Report, the Mayor has decided to defer the Representation Hearing. Please note that this hearing is now deferred. A notice of the new date for the Representation Hearing will be given in due course in accordance with the Procedure for Representation Hearings at the Greater London Authority.
The Friends of Richmond Park have written to the Mayor’s office warning of the danger of the protected view of St Paul’s Cathedral, from Richmond Park, being compromised should provision not be made to safeguard it, in the plans for the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development in Tower Hamlets. Here is a copy of the letter sent by Max Lankester.
10 April 2016
by email onlybishopsgate@london.gov.ukmayor@london.gov.ukjoe.wilkinson@london.gov.uk
The Mayor of London
City Hall,
London SE1 2AA
Dear Sirs
Hackney Applications 2014/2425 and 2427
Tower Hamlets Application PA/14/02011
Bishopsgate GoodsyardThe Friends of Richmond Park (FRP) is aware of the public representation hearing taking place on 18 April; we are unable to be present at the hearing, but would wish the following representation to be taken into account.
FRP is mindful of the need to abide by the statutory planning policies which are designed to protect the historic view from King Henry’s Mound in Richmond Park to St. Paul’s Cathedral. As we understand it, part of the application site is affected by the London View Management Framework Supplementary Planning Guidance (March 2012) in relation to the two protected vistas to the Cathedral (Protected Vistas 8A.1 and 9A.1).
On the understanding that the proposals in their current form would not conflict with the above policies, FRP expresses no opinion on them. What would concern us greatly, however, is any suggestion that some objections to the current layout could be addressed by a re-siting of elements of the development in a way which would interfere with the protected view. Any such changes would be wholly unacceptable. Other recent proposals, including those for the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge, have been designed so as respect the protected view, and it is essential that the same approach be adopted here.
Yours sincerely
Max Lankester
Vice President, Friends of Richmond Park
https://www.frp.org.uk/Registered Charity Number 1133201
Here is an extract on the development published in the Evening Standard 11 April 2016:
Campaigners against the controversial £800 million redevelopment of the Bishopsgate Goodsyard in Shoreditch have welcomed a snub for the scheme from City Hall.
The London Borough of Hackney has opposed the joint scheme from developers Hammerson and Ballymore on grounds including a lack of affordable housing, lack of affordable workspace to encourage tech industries in the area, and the impact of tall new residential towers, planned to provide 1350 flats.
Concerns over the shadow of the towers was such that councillors — who had no say over the plans after Mayor Boris Johnson called in the scheme last year — launched a campaign warning of a “dark future” for Shoreditch.
The Greater London Authority’s staff have recommended the mayor reject the application at an open meeting on April 18.
A Hackney spokesman said: “We will be making representations at the public meeting next week and we welcome the fact that the GLA has re-echoed our concerns over the scheme.”
A “disappointed” Hammerson is committed to the Goodsyard — one of the capital’s largest sites — but is likely to redesign parts of the scheme.