Mayor Johnson takes over Convoys Wharf project

1st November 2013

Barry Quirk, chief executive of Lewisham Council, has written to Boris Johnson asking him not to annexe its planning powers over the delayed Convoys Wharf scheme.

The Mayor intervened at the behest of developer Hutchison Whampoa, taking the £1.1bn, 16.6ha project out of the Council’s hands. He said that his team would work closely with both parties on the plans “without further delay”.  Hutchison blamed the hold-ups on the council, saying that even beyond the statutory determination period, it is “still making further unrealistic demands and seeking changes to the masterplan, all at odds with the GLA’s views… and all of which will seriously jeopardise the viability and deliverability of the development.” However, Mr Quirk said that Hutchison scrapped regular project meetings, preventing progress on the scheme to build 3,500 homes on the site of a Tudor dockyard.

Building Design   ITV