Potters Fields Park Trust blasts The Ivy’s restaurant plan

The owners of The Ivy Cafe Tower Bridge – part of the Ivy Collection linked to the famous West End restaurant – have applied for permission to build a glazed extension overlooking Potters Fields Park.

The proposed extension to the newly-completed building would reduce the space available for pedestrians between the building and the park.

The extension would sit on land which was formerly part of Potters Fields Park and was part of a land-swap agreed with Berkeley Homes, developers of One Tower Bridge.

Under the deal the park's boundary was redrawn with new green space gained to replace land transferred to the development.

The proposed site of the extension is still classed as Metropolitan Open Land and therefore requires the applicant to demonstrate that there are special circumstances to justify planning permission.

The Ivy's planning agents Bidwells argue that the restaurant's "glamour and sophistication" would be sufficient to permit the council to put planning policy aside.

Now the Potters Fields Park Management Trust has written to Southwark planning officers urging them to reject the application.

"The loss of this public open space will have a detrimental impact on Potters Fields Park which is a well loved and valued open space," says the trust in its objection letter.

"We are concerned about the obstruction it will cause to pedestrians and its impact on the open character of the space. The proposal is clearly contrary to a number of national, regional and local policies.

"There are no exceptional circumstances to allow the loss of part of this public open space for a private restaurant and we urge you to refuse this planning application."

• For more information see planning application 16/AP/5054