The future of Brick Lane hung in the balance this week, as Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson agreed to take direct control of planning decisions concerning the Bishopsgate Goods Yard, removing the Planning Committees of Hackney and Tower Hamlets from having any say in what goes on. Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney, protested immediately, saying that Boris was showing contempt and disregard “for local peole and businesses”. John Biggs, who has two full-time jobs, one as mayor of Tower Hamlets and one as a Greater London Assembly Member, made no formal statement – though he did find time to pop down to Brighton for a quick visit to the Labour Party Conference.
If you wanted to build a second Canary Wharf in the borough, where would you put it? Probably not right next to Brick Lane, where it would tower over the Lane and the historic surrounding area. Yet the Bishopsgate Goods Yard development contains a site where developers hope to build not one “Canary Wharf-sized” tower but TWO tower blocks of similar height.
The project includes two skyscrapers of 47 and 43 storeys and 100 high-end shops and offices and 1300 homes (of which only 10 per cent will be affordable). It has been slated by local campaign groups who fear it will drive out the area’s creative industries, force local traders on Brick Lane and Bethnal Green Road out of business and cast a shadow over local housing estates.
Hackney’s Mayor, Jules Pipe, has long recognised the dangers inherent in the plans, and he has spoken out against them as well as calling on the community to protest. In contrast, John Biggs has failed to make a clear statement in Tower Hamlets, referring only to a need to work for a development more in keeping with the scale of the area.
Now the developers have appealed to Boris Johnson and asked him, because of the scale of their plans, to take over the decision making on their planning applications. The developers don’t want the two boroughs to be in control. Johnson has agreed.
Jules Pipe has described Boris’s call-in as “cynical”, suggesting it was a deliberate and calculated strategy on the part of the developers.
John “two jobs” Biggs could even have a second bite of the cherry: he still has a full time job as a Member of the Greater London Authority – and he could have criticised Boris Johnson from that point of view too.
The Independent Group of Councillors have been quick to spot the missed opportunity. They have challenged Mayor John Biggs to make clear his position on the development.
Independent Group Councillor, Rabina Khan, Housing Cabinet Member of Tower Hamlets, said: “We need to know whose side Mayor Biggs is on – local residents or the Tory Mayor of London and his profit-driven developer chums. John Biggs draws two allowances as Mayor of Tower Hamlets and GLA member, but in both capacities has failed to ensure developers and City Hall do the best for the area. If he doesn’t have the sway to hold Boris to account or the courage to stand up for local residents, what use is he to local people?”
Khan continued: “Under the previous administration we built the most affordable homes in the country for five years in a row. We did that by pushing developers every step of the way. Two jobs John needs to earn his keep by ensuring there are clear and enforceable conditions addressing questionable elements of height, natural light, sense of intrusiveness, appropriateness, heritage and to protect and help for local residents and businesses.”
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