Boris Johnson in trouble for 'scandalous' remarks over Mount

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Boris Johnson in trouble for 'scandalous' remarks over Mount Pleasant

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/boris-jo ... 37.article#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mayor accused of compromising his neutrality before planning decision

Boris Johnson has come under fire for praising the controversial Mount Pleasant redevelopment before he has officially made his decision on whether to grant it planning.

Protestors branded the mayor of London’s intervention “scandalous”.

The redevelopment of the Royal Mail sorting office site proposes nearly 700 homes in 10 buildings designed by AHMM, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Wilkinson Eyre and Allies & Morrison. They will range in height from three to 15 storeys.

During his annual State of London debate at the O2 last week, Johnson said: “I think it’s a beautiful design… It will be a wonderful place to live.”

But he has yet to rule on the scheme which he called-in in January after the developer complained the local authorities were dragging their feet.

Thomas Heatherwick, who lives and works nearby, branded it “empty, cynical and vacuous” and said London could do better.

Edward Denison, from opponents the Mount Pleasant Association, accused Johnson of “pre-determinism” and being “anything but neutral”.

“In his role as the planning authority, the mayor is supposed to maintain a position of neutrality,” said Denison, an architectural photographer.

“At least this is the excuse we, the local community, have consistently been given when denied any chance to meet him to discuss this scheme and urge him to honour localism by engaging the local community in the planning process.

“This is predetermination and he needs to be held accountable. Most people agree it is a poor system where one man can hold so much power, but for that person to go about expressing his personal views on such a major development – or any development in his jurisdiction – before the public hearing is scandalous.”

He also criticised Johnson for claiming the scheme would “deliver thousands of homes for Londoners”, pointing out that it contains 681 units.

Johnson went on to say: “You can’t have it all ways: you can’t insist we build rows of thatched cottages – or whatever it is people want to live in – and simultaneously cope with our massive need for housing. We can build beautiful schemes.”

He also got in a dig at the boroughs, saying: “Sometimes they can be a bit slow to get these things off the ground.”

The mayor, who has a reputation for approving schemes, called in five over the eight months to January this year, including Mount Pleasant and Farrells’ £1 billion Convoys Wharf development in south-east London.