Having sat through numerous planning meetings and regularly heard Conservative councillors and their officials say “we have to think of the developer's needs to make a profit”, when explaining why they let residents down and throw away our money, I was a little concerned to read a quote on the website of a leading planning consultant that made reference to their highly profitable negotiations with H&F's Conservative Administration. The London Planning Practice (LPP) boasted that they “achieved significant reductions in S106 contributions” they had been meant to pay Hammersmith and Fulham Council. Property developers are obliged to pay these fees to a local authority to offset the damage to the community caused by the development. LPP’s claim underlines the view that far from putting residents first H&F’s Conservative Administration has taken every opportunity to help property speculators and prioritised their needs first over those of local residents.
You can read their quote by clicking here. It refers to a development on the New Kings Road, Fulham. At the time of writing this it says “Planning permission achieved for the Commercial Estates Group for a 4 storey extension fronting New King's Road, full height side extensions and an additional floor at roof level to Bedford House and the demolition of Cavendish House. Negotiations with officers resulted in a high density, Grade A office scheme using a contemporary architectural approach. LPP achieved significant reductions in S106 contributions.”
The London Planning Partnership is currently acting for Development Securities on the new NCP buildings proposed for Hammersmith Grove.
1 comment:
I'd be surprised if H&F Council didn't seek to get the maximum S106contributions - so far as they think they can. The trouble seems to be that they accept the developer's figures and there's no one at the Council who rigorously examines these to say the developer can afford more. So residents miss out - and so does the Council.
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