Barrister threatens High Court action against RM

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Barrister threatens High Court action after being offered £27k by Royal Mail to withdraw loss of light objection

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A LEADING property barrister revealed this week that he is being offered almost £27,000 by Royal Mail if he doesn’t object to loss of light from the Mount Pleasant development.

David Lonsdale, 50, who lives in Farringdon Road, spoke out angrily about his reasons for turning down the offer.

He said he had decided to go public about the offer – more than double the going rate for compensation being proposed for the development – despite being urged to keep it strictly private and confidential.

He added: “Royal Mail should not be in any doubt that I will apply to the High Court for an injunction to stop the present scheme being built in a manner which infringes my right to light.”

The firm sent a specialist to Mr Lonsdale’s four-bed Victorian home last year who confirmed that he would lose natural light to a basement under a plan for a six-storey housing scheme nearby.

Mr Lonsdale is urging Royal Mail’s chief executive, Canadian-born Moya Greene – dubbed the 12th most powerful woman in Britain – to talk to residents rather than put everything in the hands of a PR company.

He added: “The firm have so far completely ignored us. We do not understand why the company insists on using public relations firms to communicate with us. They are a complete waste of money. So far there has been no genuine consultation whatsoever.”

He argued that the blocks being proposed lack any architectural merit or adequate public amenity space. “The proposed buildings are too high and completely incongruous,” he said.

Mr Lonsdale added that he was not against a development at the site but it should be well designed with plenty of open space.

“I think residents would like to see a low-level development with a large public park incorporated,” he said. “This park ought to be at least half of the seven acres available. Islington lacks adequate green spaces and this is an excellent chance for much more to be provided. This is the last large undeveloped site in central London. The site was a rubbish dump in the 18th century but I do not see why it needs to be a rubbish dump again in the 21st century.”