If approved not only will it 'canyonise' the Road but add further to the endless lorry movements linked to other major developments.
Residents traditionally relying on Conservative councillors to fight their corner have turned to the Labour Party for help.
Ian Henderson, the ex Labour councillor who masterminded the defence of Sutton Estate says Labour are backing residents horrified at the prospect of their homes being overshadowed by this monster.
But the real question is whether this meeting should go ahead.
The High Court is about to decide whether the appeal related to M&S in Oxford St be allowed.
This decision is inextricably linked to M&S King's Road.
It is downright foolish and irresponsible for the Council to sail on blithely imagining there in no linkage between the two sites.
As importantly, is the decision to allocate time for objections. Developers have huge latitude to lobby the Commitee....it is quite unfair that objectors are not given an equal opportinity to present their case.
Level playing fields are needed.
Lets just hope that Labour Councillors actually turn up to the committee & that they do not send Cllr. Elnagi to speak up for the residents. Chelsea people have still not forgiven him for the hash he made of chairing the Royal Brompton Hospital merger hearings - when he provided the merger advocating Hospital Board as much time as they sought & then left 10 minutes at the end for residents & opposing Councillors.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed that the Labour members of the Planning committee stir themselves to speak to Ben Coleman who has already articulately denounced the 'Canyonisation' of Kings Road. Things are looking up for Labour with first rate Parliamentary Candidates for both Kensington ( Joe Powell) and Chelsea Fulham ( Ben Coleman) .Time for RBKC Labour Councillors to get properly behind their Parliamentary Candidates and tear into the fading and very vulnerable regime of Liz Campbell
omg imagine Kasim Ali trying to ‘speak up’ for the residents of Chelsea…. god help them if he ends up being the spokesperson on this!!
DeleteDP9 and Pilbrow have form in Earl's Court, and we all know how those decisions went.
ReplyDeleteThose who turned up or tuned in also remember the chair Husband making people
shoehorn their objections into a tiny 5 minute slot whilst allowing Pilbrow and DP9 to go on for ages. Some of the Planning Officers, Mr Whitworth for one, act as advertisers for proposed developments and show a very poor understanding of conservation areas.
Long time residents of an area usually know best what to keep and what needs positive change. They are truly invested. Planners come from other areas and cannot know what locals know and feel.
ReplyDeleteIt is time for more weight to be given to the local residents associations and financial and legal help given to them to rebalance this very slanted power imbalance.