A hated London redevelopment plan blocked by residents is back - with support from Boris Johnson
BI reported on the battle between local campaigners and FTSE 100 property group British Land over the redevelopment of derelict warehouses in East London back in July.
British Land want to turn the area, much of which currently sits derelict, into office space for small businesses. But campaigners say the plan will destroy the heritage and history of the area.
Both sides fought a bitter battle but Tower Hamlets council eventually rejected the planning application, which was recommended for approval by its own planning officers.
But in September the Mayor of London Boris Johnson stepped in, using powers granted to him under the Town & Country Planing Act 1990 to decide the fate of the scheme himself, according to Architects Journal. Johnson used the same powers to push through a controversial housing development at a former Royal Mail sorting office in North London last year.
British Land on Friday submitted revised plans to the Greater London Authority and Tower Hamlets for its developments on Blossom Street, part of the Norton Folgate site.
Nigel Webb, Head of Developments at British Land, says in an emailed statement:
The revised plan will continue to provide 2,500 permanent jobs on a site, which has always been a home for employment space. It will still mean that we can provide the expansion space for small and medium-sized businesses identified as crucial by the London Plan.
At the same time, we recognise historical sensitivities over 12-13 Blossom Street and look forward to working with our award-winning architects to deliver a world-class development to a site which has been surrounded by uncertainty for far too long. Our Blossom Street scheme doesn't mean a choice between preserving our heritage and creating jobs - it will successfully achieve both.
Public consultation on the project begins next week. You can find out more about the development here.