Holborn Studios update and Shoreditch/ Bishopsgate developments

At Christmas Jules Pipe, The Mayor of Hackney, sent us all his best seasonal wishes and said "Hope the fight against redevelopment is going strong. You know you have my support, along with many others. Good luck in 2016"

Jennie Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, who was the deputy London Mayor and now sits on the GLA and the Lords visited Holborn Studios in October, after an introduction from the Friends of Regents Canal. She was thrilled to see the community that we have created with over 300 jobs mainly filled by local people and the general buzz about the place. She has pledged support for us both in the Lords and the GLA and she has been in contact directly with Galliard to find out what they think they are up to.

I have had messages of support from the Friends of Regents Canal, the Hackney Society, the Arlington Association, the Angel Association and intriguingly from the London Ex Boxers Association, who are always good to have on your side if the going gets tough.

I telephoned the Senior Planning Officer at Hackney Council who told me that whilst they had heard nothing recently from Galliard, they were keeping a keen eye on proceedings. He assured me that any decision would have to be referred to a full public meeting of the Planning Committee if it didn't get refused at officer level.

Galliard are presently involved with American investors Cain Hoy and MG Properties in a development next to what will be Amazon's new European headquarters and and sits less than five minutes' walk from Liverpool Street and Shoreditch High Street stations. The project, known as The Stage, incorporates the remains of Shakespeare's 16th century Curtain Theatre, where Romeo and Juliet was first performed. The deal will see Plough Yard Developments Ltd retain the freehold while granting a new 250-year lease to the consortium to develop the 2.3-acre site, which has consent for a £750m GDV mixed-use scheme including a 40-storey residential tower and over 250,000 sq ft of office, retail and leisure accommodation set around over an acre of space. In the meantime their mates Hammerson and Ballymore are trying to develop the Goods Yards at Bishopsgate which if handled properly probably wouldn't have been a bad thing. However, the London Mayor, Boris Johnson recently used controversial political powers to "call in" the Bishopsgate eleven acre development which will feature 7 towers of up to 47 storeys. The developers plan to black out vast areas of east London with the office and expensive apartment development. The "call in" means that Mr Johnson will personally decide the fate of the development - although he has little experience in planning, construction or design. You might think that this episode is scandalous - but in his two terms as Mayor Boris has "called in" more than 18 schemes and approved them.

We desperately need more housing in our great capital but not this type of offshore grab for people with money to make even more money. Ordinary Londoners don't fit into these plans - remember that when you vote for Mayor on May 5th.

Holborn Studios have approached CRT to "adopt" the section of canal from Packington Bridge to Sturts Lock. I don't know the criteria yet but I expect it will involve the construction of our new gatehouse at Packington which will enable the walking and non-ambulant visitors easy access to the Eagle Wharf moorings and a tidy up of the vegetation and trees near Sturts Lock by volunteers from Holborn Studios.

Many thanks for your kind attention.