STOP THE DENIZEN - PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL LETTER SENT TO CITY

Despite numerous well argued objections the City has now, on 30 August, granted planning permission to Taylor Wimpey’s to demolish Bernard Morgan House and build its monstrous development called the Denizen. The developer must satisfy various planning conditions before commencing work.

Bernard Morgan House and The Denizen

The Denizen is the name Taylor Wimpey have decided to call the new building. It’s being marketed in Hong Kong as an investment or a hotel for the super rich. Asking prices range from £695,000 for a small studio to £2,375,000.

The Denizen is being marketed in Hong Kong by Savills and Knight Frank

The planning permission had been subject to negotiating further terms with Taylor Wimpey for an 'upward only independent review of the affordable housing contribution which the Chairman and Alderman Sir Michael Bear will be consulted on' One outcome of that Taylor Wimpey’s previously contribution to affordable housing has now decreased from £4.5million pounds to £4,455,000.

We have received advice from Matthew Horton QC, a senior specialist barrister and our lawyers have sent a letter before action to the City requiring it to withdraw the planning permission or face an application for judicial review to the Planning Court to set it. The appendix to this letter lists the factual background and policy context, the consideration of the officer’s report and the alleged errors of law. You can read this letter here

If the permission is not withdrawn then we will need to raise more funds to meet the cost of the application to the Planning Court for a judicial review and for this purpose we will be starting a new campaign to Save Golden Lane and Stop the Denizen.

From TWCL's advertising campaign

As Pippa Henslowe says in her blog https://reclaimec1.wordpress.com/

'Taylor Wimpey’s promotional effort is clearly aimed at wealthy but culturally unsophisticated ghost home investors who are likely to buy-off plan without ever visiting the property or the area it is located in'

The City of London has chosen to replace accommodation for 120 police officers and other keyworkers with these ghost homes.

I hope that you will be able to continue to donate financially to support our campaign and protect our community from such monstrous and unnecessary over development. A development which contains no affordable housing and a shockingly inadequate financial contribution to affordable housing off-site. Donations can be made on the Crowd Justice campaign page.

Many thanks