Mildmay development proposal rejected by Strategic Development Committee

4.08.27pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 22nd Sep 2006

Residents Protest

Local residents joined Liberal Democrat Councillor for Weavers Ward, Louise Alexander, in celebrations after 10 months of heavy campaigning against the Mildmay Urban Village application.

Unanimously, eight councillors of all political persuasions on the Strategic Development Committee voted against the plans, which included a 23-storey block of bedsits.

"There was a lot wrong with these plans - the tall tower would have been an eyesore, the density of people was too high, the bedsits were too small and there was very little family housing included in the project", said Cllr Alexander. "Whilst the campaigners are not against the re-integration of former homeless people into society, placing large numbers into bedsits in a tower block is an experiment which local people were very uneasy about. This slab-shaped block would impact on local conservation areas, like the Boundary Estate. After years of passing sub-standard planning applications, it's good to see Tower Hamlets' Councillors standing up for the community and trying to see quality in local buildings."

The developers may yet appeal, or the site may be used commercially, but it is hoped that the developers will sit down with the architects from the local residents' campaign group and come up with an application which would be acceptable for everyone. Liberal Democrat Councillors from Weavers Ward accept that this site needs development and hope that development can be proposed which will fit into the existing locale.