Demolition of Rosemary Works

On Monday 18th July 2011, the Hackney councillors will decide whether to approve an application to demolish some two-storey industrial buildings and to replace them with 10 business units and 52 dwellings rising up to seven stories.

The existing and proposed buildings are illustrated in the images below. You can decide for yourself whether the proposed structure will enhance or degrade the canal. How many trees are provided in the proposed scheme and how much respect does it show for the canal as an open space?

What you can do to help

This application will be discussed at a Planning Sub-Committee on Monday, 18th July starting at 6.30 pm.
Venue: Room 101 and 102, Hackney Town Hall, Mare Street, London E8 1EA

If you are able to attend this meeting then please try to turn up at around 6:15pm, in case we are able to arrange any group photos for the local press.

You can make a contribution simply by turning up. You do not need to say or write anything at this stage, you just need to hold your hand up when the chair asks how many people have come to listen to the Rosemary Works application. Even if you are prevented from attending, please tell your friends and neighbours about this.

Some questions you might have

If the planning officer has recommended this for approval, then how can it be stopped at this stage?
Planning officers have been known to make mistakes in the past and they do not always see the wider picture. Often they do not live in the borough where they are employed. The councillors, on the other hand, live in the affected borough and they need to weigh up the officer's recommendations against the views and needs of others.

I do not live in Hackney, so what is the point in me attending a meeting at the Hackney Town Hall?
This building is not in a hidden cul-de-sac. It is on a public right of way that extends for thousands of miles.

There are already a lot of tall buildings by the canal so what difference will another one make?
This is on a very thin strip of land and the building size is disproportionate to the space available. As you can see from the above image, it is on a bend so it would make the area feel claustrophobic. Furthermore, the building would overhang the canal.

If I oppose this application, will I be depriving people of affordable homes?
This is the wrong place to cram in lots of homes. Most of the homes will be sold on the private market, possibly for use as second homes or for renting out at unaffordable prices. It is highly unlikely that any of the affordable flats will be on the canal-facing side of this development.

What can we realistically hope will happen at this meeting?
The best we can hope for is that the councillors will vote to reject the application and that the planning officers will receive better training in how to interpret the Blue Ribbon principles in the London Plan.
The second best outcome would be a deferral. This would give us more time to raise awareness of this application and to mount a more coordinated response.
Regrettably, it is possible that the councillors will give permission for a building of this height and mass at this location. If this were to happen then we must expect them to impose strict conditions and alterations. For example they could insist that the overhanging balconies are removed.
The worst possible outcome is that the councillors grant permission without any alterations. This is unlikely to happen because it would show that they are in the wrong job and it would very newsworthy indeed.

Where can I find further information?
Planning Sub Committee meeting
Agenda for Monday's meeting
Planning Officer's Report
Letter from Ian Shacklock to the Planning Sub-Committee, 14th July 2011
Detailed Documents for this case (2011/0261)
Detailed Documents for this case (2011/0262)