Subject: Friends of Regent’s Canal News – Democracy in Action


Dear Friends,

I would like you all to be aware of a recent decision by Camden Council to reject an application for a bulky development that would have undermined the canal as an open space at Hawley Wharf. This is a welcome contrast to Hackney Council’s decision last year to permit an unpopular bulky and overhanging construction at Rosemary Works.

The Hawley Wharf proposal was discussed at last month’s Friends meeting and I know that some of you have worked tirelessly over a prolonged period, seeking better alternatives to this scheme. Whatever happens next at the Hawley Wharf location, I think we should promote the canal and its heritage as much as possible in future discussions, to ensure that any new buildings fit around the needs of the canal rather than the other way round.

We are likely to be discussing this news at our next public meeting (in May) and I would be interested to hear from anybody who might have been in favour of the proposal. I would like to remind people that, as a group, we do not automatically oppose planning applications and one of our aims this year is to compile some examples of good and bad canal-side developments, in order to set ourselves some guidelines.

Please click on the link below to see an article about this news in the Camden New Journal. This includes an artist’s impression of the proposed scheme and I hope that you find it informative.

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2012/mar/hawley-wharf-developers-vision-‘high-end’-market-canal-sunk-over-failure-respect-camde

Best wishes,

Ian Shacklock
Chair, Friends of Regent's Canal