MP condemns RM’s bid to ‘silence’ opponents

[TrueBlueTerrier]

MP condemns Royal Mail’s bid to ‘silence’ opponents of sorting office site homes development

http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/20 ... evelopment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

A ROW has erupted over claims that financial incentives are being offered to residents to stop them opposing plans to squeeze up to 700 new homes on the Mount Pleasant sorting office site in Clerkenwell.

Letters, marked strictly private and confidential, are being delivered to residents close to the 6.8-acre site, offering £12,000 compensation if they don’t object to potential loss of light.

The communications from Royal Mail development advisors GIA are signed by a senior surveyor and so far have been distributed to homes in Phoenix Place.

Residents agreeing to receive the cash will not only have to sign away their “right to light” in the event of being overlooked and shadowed by the development, but have to agree not to object to planning applications submitted.

Islington and Camden councils have lodged informal objections to the scheme on the grounds that the 20 per cent social housing currently being offered is not sufficient.

Edward Denisen, a member of residents’ pressure group Mount Pleasant Forum, who has seen a copy of the letter, said that developers who previously had never seemed to want to consult are now offering incentives.

“By accepting compensation you open the floodgates to allow the developer to significantly hinder your light,” he said. “The effect on the value of your property is likely to be much greater than the value of the compensation.

“Surely, it is better not to allow the developer to build something that is contrary to right-to-light laws in the first place.

“This letter proves that the design and planning of the scheme are flawed and need looking at again. If it was a good design you wouldn’t need to be paying people off.”

The 120-year-old site was once home to the largest postal sorting office in the world, but now mainly consists of semi-derelict offices and a large car park.

Royal Mail stands to earn an estimated £100million from the development, with planning applications expected to be filed shortly and work on the site – where a 19th-century prison, Coldbath Fields, once stood – beginning later this year.

Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry, who is MP for Islington South and Finsbury, said: “Trying to pay people to stop them objecting to a planning application is absolutely extraordinary.

“It is very worrying because it appears to undermine the democratic process by trying to silence people at a time when councillors are having to seek opinions and make decisions.

“It might be a good idea if people who re­ceived these letters got together as a group and got proper representation to make sure they were not being picked off one-by-one.”

Camden’s housing chief, Labour councillor Julian Fulbrook, said: “To use a biblical analogy, they are asking residents to sign away their birthright for a mess of pottage.

“It’s an offer that really takes your breath away and people might be tempted to accept it coming after Christmas and with all the bills that have to be paid.

“I would say residents should take careful advice and think about the long term and a possible loss of view.”

Royal Mail spokeswoman Sally Hopkins said: “Daylighting and sunlighting are dealt with as part of the planning process. Rights to light is a separate legal matter.

“Where Royal Mail believes the proposed development may interfere with a property’s legal right to light, it has offered to underwrite all reasonable surveying and legal fees incurred by property owners with a view to reaching a commercial settlement acceptable to both parties.

This is standard practice in property development.”

Mount Pleasant Forum can be contacted at http://www.mountpleasantforum.wordpress.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hans solo]

bribary , deceit, broken agreements the rm way