HOW TO OBJECT
Objection letters can still be sent to the Boroughs even though the Mayor of London has taken over the planning process.
Now also write direct to Edward Lister, Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning [email protected]
and to Boris Johnson [email protected] as soon as possible. Quote The Bishopsgate Goodsyard Planning Application
by post to The Greater London Authority, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA
A letter is counted as more important than a name on a petition, so taking the time to do this will really help. We’ve prepared an example letter below.
PLEASE ADD YOUR OWN WORDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE - individual responses carry more weight.
You can address your letter either via email or post to both or either of the two councils:
HACKNEY
Mr. Russell Smith
Hackney Council
Planning and Regulatory Services
2 Hilman Street, London E8 1FB
Quoting application numbers:
2014/2425 and 2014/2427
TOWER HAMLETS
Mr. Nasser Farooq
Tower Hamlets Town Planning
Development and Renewal
Mulberry Place PO BOX 55739
5 Clove Crescent, London E14 1BY
[email protected]
Quoting application numbers:
PA/14/02011 and PA/14/02096
WEB-FORMS
Alternatively fill in the councils’ web-forms. Make sure to click the “OBJECT button. Copy and paste text from the example letter, remembering to customize with your own wording.
EXAMPLE LETTER
Dear Sirs,
The Bishopsgate Goodsyard
PA/14/02011, PA/14/02096 (Tower Hamlets) and 2014/2425, 2014/2427 (Hackney)
I strongly object to this planning application for the following reasons:
HEIGHT AND MASSING: At 46 and 38 storeys for the two main towers and 30, 26, 24 and 17 storeys for others, the height of the development is dramatically out of scale with the surrounding area. It will harm the setting of the surrounding five conservation areas and their many listed buildings. The massing is overwhelming and has no relationship to the adjacent, mainly small, plot sizes and low buildings.
DESIGN: The generic tower blocks will appear out of place and do not respond at all to the local character of the surrounding areas. The developers say it will be “a new place with its own distinct scale, identity and character” which is contrary to the planning guidance for the site issued by Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
DEMOLITION: A large amount of 19th-century historic fabric that survives on the site will be demolished, including many of the brick arches and the notable Victorian wall that runs along Commercial Street..
IMPACT ON LIGHT: 43% of the existing surrounding buildings surveyed by the developer’s consultants will suffer major loss of sunlight. Most of the residential area to the north, including the Boundary Estate, will be cast into shadow by the towers for many months. Obviously, this is completely unacceptable.
The proposed green space will be in shadow during the afternoon and evening throughout the summer, making it much less attractive than promised.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The small amount of affordable housing - 10% suggested - is unacceptable and nowhere near the Council’s requirements.
EMPLOYMENT SPACE: The development will not meet the need for affordable workspace and threatens to push out the small-scale independent businesses.
ADD YOUR OWN WORDS
SIGNED