City of London indicates it will recommend approval of controversial London Wall West scheme, days before public consultation is due to end
| Published date | 05 April 2024 |
| Publication title | MyLondon (England) |
A City of London spokesperson said a formal recommendation will not be made until a week prior to the planning committee meeting on April 17, at which members will be able to decide for themselves whether to approve or refuse the proposal.
The City is looking to demolish both the Museum of London and Bastion House, a 1970s Brutalist office block on the edge of the Barbican estate, and replace them with three new buildings between five and 17-storeys tall. A number of public realm improvements are also to be delivered.
Planning documents detail how the redevelopment will be less carbon-intensive over the long-term than retaining the current buildings, which it says are unwelcoming and unused. These claims have however been contested by campaigners against the scheme, who are pushing for a retrofit and reuse approach and for the existing buildings to be put to ‘cultural, creative and educational/learning use’.
Since the proposal went live on the City’s planning portal, which is both applicant and local authority, hundreds of objections have been filed, with the potential redevelopment described as ‘shameful’ and ‘ill-considered’.
Technical difficulties meant the public consultation's initial end-date of early February was extended to April 6. However, despite it still running at the time of writing, the Local Democracy Reporting Service LDRS has seen correspondence from the City dated April 2 in which it states its Chief Planning Officer will recommend the scheme be approved. A decision is due to be made at the Planning Applications Sub-Committee meeting on April 17.
A spokesperson for the Barbican Quarter Action BQA group, which was formed to fight for ‘responsible’ planning in the City, said: “The story of London Wall West highlights serious concerns about the custodianship of the built environment in the City as well as a flawed planning consultation process. It throws light on a system of governance that appears to play with due process and ignores significant factors other than financial gain.
“The City of London's conduct since the inception of its plans for a mammoth office development, on a site of immense heritage significance at London Wall West and a...
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