Westferry Printworks project dropped after minister rejects appeal

Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing Eddie Hughes has dismissed an appeal over the building of the 1,500 Westferry Printworks housing development. The decision document stated that the Isle of Dogs scheme, which was initially rejected by planning officers in Tower Hamlets, breached 22 planning policies, and that approving the scheme would have meant a “failure to preserve the settings of the Old Royal Naval College and Tower Bridge, both Grade I listed, and the Maritime Greenwich WHS (World Heritage Site)“. It said: “The harm to the character and appearance of the area attracts significant weight". The development became a point of controversy after the extent of communications between then-housing secretary Robert Jenrick and developer Richard Desmond came to light. Officials in Mr Jenrick’s department described him as being “insistent” that the project be given the green light before a new levy added millions to the cost. He later had to quash his own approval, conceding that the decision was “unlawful” due to “apparent bias”.

The Guardian (18/11/2021)