Founder’s Place planning meeting abandoned

The Committee was meeting at the Franklin-Wilkins Building in Stamford Steet when a request was made by the applicants to defer a decision on granting planning permission.

There was surprise among the many affected tenants from an existing building on the site who had crowded into the room. Chair Cllr Brian Palmer, who was also taken by surprise, said that the request followed a new report on the impact of the development on the trees along the north end of Archbishop's Park. The new tree report was compiled after a recent site visit by two committee members.

The chair, with the support of the committee members, said that a new date for a meeting would be announced later. He hoped that it would be in Waterloo rather than at the Town Hall.

The move to postpone a decision was immediately welcomed by Bishop's Ward councillor (and council leader) Peter Truesdale who said that he had come to the meeting to seek an adjournment.

Also present was Kate Hoey MP who has suggested that there is a danger of trees being destroyed and the park being substantially overlooked by the development. She is objecting to the loss of the former school buildings on the edge of the site near the trees.

Earlier in the meeting planning permission was granted for York House office block to replace the former Florence Nightingale pub at the corner of Lambeth Palace Road. Just before the unanimous vote, the chair successfully won agreement from the applicant for a negotiation on funding for Archbishop's Park from money agreed for area improvements.