Find out who is approving the Shoreditch skyscraper invasion. Bethnal Green Road tower block gets permission

It’s really sad that the proposed 25 storey housing development at the top of Brick Lane has now received all the permission needed to be built. The new tower block will house 360 units and 3,400 sqm of commercial floor space.

I actually don’t object to development in that area – in fact I think the space could be better used. However I do object to development on such a massive scale. We had a similar proposal for a massive scale development near to us. Thankfully a campaign was successful in preventing this from going ahead.

What I find interesting is that the Labour councillors on the Tower Hamlets Strategic Development Committee always appear to vote in favour of these massive developments. Why is this? Here’s the voting intentions of coucillor’s from the minutes of the March meeting.

FOR

1. Councillor Helal Abbas (Vice-Chair, in the Chair)    Labour for Spitalfields and Banglatown
2. Councillor M. Shahid Ali    Labour for Limehouse
3. Councillor Joshua Peck    Labour for Bow West
4. Councillor Ohid Ahmed    Labour for East India and Lansbury
5. Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman    Labour for Mile End East

AGAINST

1. Councillor Shahed Ali    Respect for Whitechapel
2. Councillor Lutfa Begum    Respect – The Unity Coalition for Limehouse
3. Councillor Tim Archer    Conservative for Blackwall and Cubitt Town
4. Councillor Stephanie Eaton    Liberal Democrat for Bethnal Green North

The minutes also note that Cllr Ohid Ahmed actually didn’t bother to stay for the rest of the hearing after he’d voted on this development. So obviously this development was important for him.

I also find it hard to believe Cllr Helal Abbas represents the ward where the development is to be built. I mean, it’s one hell of a fugly building! Would you really want to look out and see that thing blocking your view of the sun?

The minutes also point out a few objections from other councillors (who for reasons I can not fathom, did not have the right to vote).

Councillor Oliur Rahman (Respect – The Unity Coalition for St. Dunstan’s and Stepney Green) spoke on behalf of the residents. He disagreed with the figures stated in the report relating to affordable housing and argued that the residents needed more family sized accommodation. He did not feel that the proposal was in accordance with policy.

Councillor Tim O’Flaherty (Liberal Democrat for Weavers) spoke on behalf of the residents. He did not feel that sufficient consultation had taken place, either with residents or with the Local Area Partnership.

It’s all madness in my opinion. If you’re not already aware of this then it’s worth plugging the Open Shoreditch campaign and SaveShoreditch.com