Latest news re Downtown development plans

Thanks very much to Steve Cornish, Chairman of the Friends of Russia Dock Woodland, for the following email, received this morning:

The application for full planning permission landed on local residents doormats this morning. The 21 day consultation period started from the 1/07/08. So we now only have 19 days to object to the latest proposal. Will the council ever learn. I sometimes wonder who's side they are on.

The new application remarks on the 'new children's play area' which Barratts had to address because of the last applications failure to provide amenity play space. But in no way whatsoever do they mention that to make way for this 'new children's play area' they have taken away the Downtown Community hall re- provision that has always been part of the plans from day one, six years ago. In effect to address this ground for refusal from the previous application Barratts have taken away a large part of the community benefits along with Redriff Schools creche, and breakfast club. Removing these community benefits also helps to address Barratts other grounds for refusal 'poor urban design'. . . the planning committee stated that the school drop off point would be a disaster with only 15 spaces available to park while the entire school, plus the youngsters at the new creche/breakfast were being taken into the school by their parents. Removing these facilities has created a win, win, win, situation for Barratts and a lose lose lose situation for the people of Downtown.

Ruth kelly's reasons for overruling her own planning inspector were "that the community benefits outweigh the dis-benefits". We must remind ourselves that southwark council unanimously decided to challenge her decision at judicial review. So I am now completely lost. We have gone full circle.

We will of course be knocking on doors once again to canvas peoples views on whether this application is in anyway acceptable to them. Early opinion is much to be expected. This new application gives slightly with one hand, while taking massively with the other. with some members of the public stating 'this is now an insult to the local community'. . . .

We will be drafting our objection letter over the weekend so that local people can fill in their names addresses, post code, then we will hand deliver them to the planning dept.

If anyone wishes to look at the new proposals and drawings, they can do so by visiting;

REGENERATION AND NEIGHBOURHOODS
COUNCIL OFFICES
CHILTERN
PORTLAND ST
LONDON SE17 2ES

Between the hours of 10:00 & 4:00, Monday to Friday