The Dame's attention was drawn to part of the letter below in red and is mystified....
There have been 137 objections to the Avon House development and just 12 in support. Chintzy designer, Chelsea based designer, Nina Campbell put in 2 of those which mysteriously have been counted 3 x times.
So, what's in it for Miss Campbell? Are the rumours correct that her friendship with Bimbo's raffish father got her the Avon House contract? If that's the case her arrogance in the face of a very clear conflict of interest sums up the general attitude of Bimbo and his supporters. Tell us the truth, Miss Campbell. Is money what's driving your support?
Dear Dame,
You will recall the saga around the planning application for Avon House in Allen Street. Switzerland-based Bimbo Hart, son of Thatcher’s fixer Charlie Hart and property investor extraordinaire. For years, Bimbo, has tried to redevelop the derelict care home by building an overmassed atrocity double the size.
Despite 137 objections from residents, the local MP and the Kensington Society 'our' RBKC planners continue to be extremely eager to please Bimbo. Why?
We now have a new actor who feels she needs to lend Bimbo a hand. Socialite interior designer Nina Campbell has lodged three statements of support for the proposed development.
That should not come as a surprise as not only is she set to make a lot of money by providing the interior design but helping the Sloane Square set can be beneficial for other such projects.
RBKC planning officers seem to have been so impressed by her support statements that they uploaded the exact same one twice and count it twice.
It seems utterly inappropriate that Ms Campbell who does not live anywhere close and is clearly conflicted should take it upon herself to send in her support, and that twice which was actually counted three times! As some residents also picked up there were 12 very similar statements of support all submitted within a 2 hour window. How very interesting that residents decide to support the project all 10 minutes apart from each other one Friday morning.
In the meantime RBKC’s Director for Planning and Place continues eager to support the project by reversing and ignoring conditions RBKC had stipulated of the developers previously.
Can the close to £500,000 in contributions from the developers to “local infrastructure” improvements have anything to do with this eagerness?
Let’s see if Committee Chair Councillor Husband and the other Committee members will finally do the right thing and throw this application out; that should have happened a long time ago as the Kensington Society has already said. Councillors, over to you....
This Avon House Saga is just such a shambles. Planning officers reducing what they need from the developers to adhere to significantly is very alarming. The planning officer should be thoroughly investigated.
ReplyDeleteI was following this application for a while as friends live adjacent. We do NOT need an ultra luxury care home in RBKC such that handgreasing property developers can get even richer.
ReplyDeleteThe inconsistency re the 12 "support letters" needs to be pointed out at the Planning Committee. It will help to discredit the application - the Councillors are sensitive to this kind of scam.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that the developer is a Dell Boy and Kensington does not need to be polluted more by this kind of low life
See, bribe works! This is just one that seems to have surfaced. God knows how many more are buried, done and dusted. It's profitable to work for the Council....especially in the planning department. Now, you can complain all you like but can you unearth such brown envelope dealings? You can't and they know therefore it continues. It's time that we review if it's worth paying the council tax.... business owners are complaining, police are non-existence for most unless you are a mega rich and famous.... hardly worth paying for.
ReplyDeleteThe People versus Bimbo and his Planning Officer mates....Victory to the People!
ReplyDeleteI live in Walton St and everybody considers Waala to be as thick as excreta. How she ever got elected is a mystery. No wonder she vote for Bimbo's developement: she's the council's very own bimbo. Stupid woman
ReplyDeleteShe is a friend of the CEO in Hornton Street who brought her on board as a "temp"
DeletePlanning officer and lead agent for the developer seem very chummy.
ReplyDeleteOff with her head!
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