Hammersmith & Fulham’s Conservative Council has been in direct negotiations with a leading property developer to build an office and entertainment complex in Hammersmith (see developer's mock-up pic, left). The developer hopes to build on the Transport for London site at the bottom of Hammersmith Grove and has been involved in private discussions with Council representatives for many months.I have written to the Director of the Environment to ask for details of when the meetings took place, who attended and what was discussed. I will let you know when I get a reply.
Richard McCubbine, a Director of the property developer Development Securities, met with me and my fellow Hammersmith Broadway ward Councillor Lisa Nandy on Tuesday evening (3rd July) to brief us on his plans. He told us that representatives of the Conservative Council had contacted his organisation in November 2006 to insist that a cinema would be added to the design.
The Council’s cinema proposal ties this development in with its controversial plans to demolish Hammersmith’s current cinema at the top of King Street. The Conservative Administration will hope that by placing a new cinema in Hammersmith Grove they will minimise public anger at the loss of the current cinema and that this will enable them to move forward with their plans to build new luxury offices for Town Hall workers on the King Street site. The Council will also be given a Section 106 payment from the property developer, which could be used to bail out the Administration’s Police funding crisis.
Mr McCubbine agreed to hold a public briefing. Cllr. Lisa Nandy, Cllr. Mike Cartwright and myself are hoping to arrange a convenient date for our constituents to attend this. Mr McCubbine told us that he had hoped to have had his plans put before the Council’s July Planning Committee but that hadn’t been possible. He said that his company has now submitted plans but is waiting for the Council to officially validate them into the planning process. He was optimistic that the Planning Committee would make a decision about the development at a September meeting.
I believe that this development is far too big for that site. I also have severe concerns about putting extra restaurants and a cinema into a residential area like Hammersmith Grove. I think that if this development goes ahead it will cause extra noise, extra pollution and extra traffic with delivery lorries turning up in the early hours – disturbing many local residents.
Please email me directly if you have concerns about this matter.
2 comments:
What a nasty bubble we are expected to put up with. A similar proposal was rejected for a development only feet away, for the Premier West Hotel on Glenthorne Road (though it had rather straighter lines, but similar materials). Does precendence affect future planning decisions? Though it would match the glass brick carbuncle growing out of the Victorian building opposite rather well ... sanctioned by the Labour Council. Why don't you lobby Transport for London? It's their site. A cost-benefit analysis is clearly needed, it being a major development.
Has there been any attempt to publicize the meeting on the 25th? I only happened upon it as I was looking for more information but some signs up and flyers in stores might be a help?
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