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Latest News

Resolution to grant after Article 31 Holding Directive

The City of London’s planning committee has voted today, 17 April, in favour of a resolution to grant itself planning approval for its LWW scheme. Sixteen councillors voted in support, eight against and one abstained.

We are obviously disappointed by the Committee’s decision, but not surprised given that this came from a local authority whose officials restated at today’s meeting that the City of London does not recognise the climate emergency. 

The committee’s decision came after Michael Gove, Secretary of State for housing and communities, issued an Article 31 Holding Directive against the proposed development the day before. “The directive does not, of course, prevent your Council from considering the application, forming a view as to the merits or, if they are so minded, refusing permission.”

Michael Gove will now either call in the application for determination or allow the City of London to issue its planning permission. We hope that the SoS will decide that the application should be referred to him. The City is both applicant and the local planning authority and as such this complex and contested scheme must be subject to the highest levels of scrutiny.

decision date on 17 April 2024.

Wednesday, 17 April at 9am, the application for demolition of the Museum of London and Bastion House site will go to the planning committee for determination. The meeting will take place in the Livery Hall of the Guildhall (entrance in Basinghall Street).

The objectors to the scheme will be represented by Estelle Dehon KC and David Rees KC, who each have five minutes to make representations. Our councillors Liz King (Cripplegate) and Naresh Sonpar (Aldersgate) will also speak on residents’ behalf.

consultation period Extended to 6 April 2024.

The City’s Planning Department has confirmed that the London Wall West application will be determined on 17 April.

BQA will submit a request to address the committee on heritage, carbon, townspace and residential amenity issues. BQA will also ask the Chair of Planning & Transport to exercise his discretion and afford additional time to objectors. The slot for objectors to address the committee will be very short (approx. 10 mins). Coordinating and collaborating with those who want to speak will be essential for getting the key messages across effectively and efficiently without repetition. You can email BQA here if you wish to discuss this.

A lot of further information has been submitted by the City of London as applicant since the original deadline of 31 January. BQA is reviewing the latest document “dump” with its advisors and will provide guidance on responding soon. Check our website for updates over the coming week. If you have not yet signed up for updates, you can do that here.

The case officer for the application has confirmed in writing there is no need to confirm or re-submit objections.

If you wish to make further objections, you still have the opportunity to do so here until 6 april. You may wish to comment on the impracticality of dealing with new and amended documents which give no detail as to their purpose and what has changed.

The planning officer's report, explaining the material considerations and their relative weight in coming to a recommended decision, should be published a couple of days after the deadline for comments and one week prior to the decision date. The report, which should be available by 10 April, should also include the number, a breakdown and summary of objections.

BQA objected Along with over 700 OBJECTORS to the LWW plans on 31 January 2024.

our detailed objection prepared by Planning Consultant Carney Sweeney was submitted by Planning Lawyers Leigh Day Solicitors. it included:

  • BQA letters submitted to the CoLC at pre-application stage;

  • the Embodied Carbon Review by Simon Sturgis of Targeting Zero;

  • the BQA review of the DEsign and access statement and Townscape, visual and built heritage impact Assessment By JM Petroschka (ABR);

  • the Heritage Assessment by Alec Forshaw;

  • Cathy Ross on Archeology;

  • the Assessment of Daylight, Sunlight, Solar Glare and Light Spillage by Anstey Horne;

  • and the Planning Policy Review table by Carney Sweeney.

THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION HAS NOW SUBMITTED A FULL PLANNING APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THE FORMER MUSEUM OF LONDON AND BASTION HOUSE AND TO REDEVELOP THE SITE.

The applications (Consisting of One Full Planning Application and two Listed Building Consent Applications) have been validated. All 382 + 135 + 157 Planning Documents can be found on the City’s website. Please click on the application reference numbers below:

Should these links not work, please go to City Planning’s Simple Search website and type in the above reference number.

VIEW HARD COPIES OF THE APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION AND A PHYSICAL 3D MODEL OF THE SCHEME:

  • LONDON CENTRE (3 ALDERMANBURY, LONDON, EC2V 7HH)

  • FROM TUESDAYs to Fridays until 28 march 2024 (CLOSED ON MONDAYS).

IMPORTANT DATES:

  • APPLICATION RECEIVED: 20 NOVEMBER 2023

  • APPLICATION VALIDATION DATE: 23 NOVEMBER 2023

  • SITE NOTICE / PUBLICATION DATE: 07 DECEMBER 2023

  • NEIGHBOUR CONSULTATION EXPIRY DATE: Extended to 28 March 2024

  • TERMINATION DEADLINE: TBC

22 Nov 2023 | BQA FIGHTS BACK

Responding to the City’s shock decision to press ahead with its demolition plans, the BQA is urgently calling for:

  • Proper public consultation as required by National Planning Policy Framework, the City’s own Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and its promises of November 2022.

  • Adoption of the principles of the City’s Carbon Options PAN 2.

You can read our letter here.

 

20 Oct 2023 | CITY IGNORES CALLS TO RETROFIT

  • In defiance of widespread industry and public concerns, the City today submitted a planning application for the demolition of heritage assets Bastion House and the Museum of London.

  • The application is awaiting validation. Watch this space for news of when the application becomes available for comment.

  • The window for commenting will be just 21 days.

 

05 Oct 2023 | CITY U-TURNS ON PROMISES

  • The City has announced it intends to proceed with a planning application for demolition.

  • Previously the City had promised to consult with the public. It had also promised to test the development appetite for retrofit in a ‘soft market appraisal’ – but allowed just 31 days for teams to submit bids.

  • Despite the short timescale XX retrofit proposals were submitted. But the City has decided to press ahead with planning permission for demolition regardless.

 Read Chris Hayward’s letter in Full.

City Matters | December 06 2023 - January 16 2024

Chris Hayward:

“One key area where there remains a lot of work to do, however, is within the built environment sector which accounts for 42% of the City’s carbon emissions.

This obviously presents a huge challenge for us, with both the job growth and demand for office Space in the Square Mile surging, despite working from home arrangements between businesses and their employees apparently here to stay.

To start addressing this challenge we have set out a clear approach for developers, which is that planning applications should ensure that carbon emission resulting from building projects are reduced as much as possible.

This approach promotes retrofitting of existing buildings, instead of demolition and redevelopment of sites. Furthermore, carbon emissions should be minimised not just in construction, but also in how completed projects will operate, such as with energy efficiency and transport accessibility.

As a planning authority, we are now moving towards a ‘retrofit first’ approach, where developers must demonstrate they have given serious consideration to this in any planning application.

Reassuringly, it already seems to be working. Of the 34 retrofit projects delivered across London this year, half of them were delivered here and retrofit applications in the Square Mile are increasing year on year.”

BQA:

Why is the City not pursuing retrofit for the former Museum of London and Bastion House, when it already had three serious offers following its soft market test for a retention scheme in summer 2023?