A Letter To The Times

Today, a new chapter opens in the story of our campaign to Save Norton Folgate with the publication of this letter in the The Times. Already a Judicial Review is scheduled in April to scrutinise the mishandling of British Land’s application by Boris Johnson and the Greater London Authority, now this letter asks Greg Clark, Secretary of State, to stage a Public Inquiry that can determine the best outcome for Norton Folgate.

To the Editor of The Times

We urge the Secretary of State, Greg Clark, to call in for his own determination – and hold a planning inquiry into – the British Land planning applications that are threatening the future of Norton Folgate in historic Spitalfields. This precious Conservation Area on the fringes of the City of London is under threat from plans by developer British Land to demolish a swathe of buildings for a banal office-led scheme. The plans were rejected by the democratically elected local Council, but this decision has been shamefully overruled by the Mayor of London, one of a string of permissions he has handed to developers against the will of local people and the mandate of local democracy.

Only a thorough public inquiry can determine the best outcome for this sensitive historic area. The Spitalfields Trust has commissioned its own scheme for the site from Burrell, Foley, Fischer Architects. This repairs and reuses the historic fabric, provides sensitive in-fill in keeping with the scale and character of the area as well as serving the interests of local businesses, particularly SMEs and micro enterprises, and the need for housing in the Borough. It has been independently costed, is viable, and could be delivered immediately and speedily, for a fraction of the development cost.

Signed

David Bailey CBE, Photographer

Alan Bennett, Writer

Clem Cecil, Director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage

Julie Christie, Actress

Dan Cruickshank, Architectural Historian

Ralph Fiennes, Actor

Mark Girouard, Architectural Historian

Tim Knox, Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum

Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, Garden Designer

Miriam Margolyes OBE, Actress

Suggs McPherson, Madness

John Nicolson MP, SNP spokesman on Culture, Media & Sport

Dame Sian Phillips, Actress

Jonathan Pryce, Actor

Charles Saumarez Smith, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy

Rohan Silva, Second Home

Rupert Thomas, Editor of World of Interiors

Jeanette Winterson, Writer

Please add your name to the illustrious list of those calling for a Public Inquiry by writing direct to the Secretary of State. The Spitalfields Trust suggest you include the following points in your letter which you can email to greg.clark.mp@parliament.uk or post to House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

This is not just a very important case for London, it is also of national importance and has serious implications for Conservation Areas across the country.
This fragile Conservation Area is protected by local Conservation Guidelines, which this application disregards.
The vitality of the City does not depend upon demolishing some warehouses in Spitalfields.
The democratic decision at a local level has been over-ruled by the centralised intervention of the Mayor of London.
The Spitalfields Trust’s Conservation Scheme for Norton Folgate is independently costed and is viable. It could be delivered more quickly and far more cheaply than that proposed by British Land. It is based upon the repair of the existing historic buildings, with sensitive infill of empty sites in keeping with the Conservation Area.
The Spitalfields Trust’s scheme would provide more affordable business accommodation, particularly for small businesses and provide more housing, both low cost and private, for the local borough.
This case has given rise to substantial local and national controversy, and has been widely covered in the media.
The whole-scale demolition of heritage assets in the Conservation Area conflicts fundamentally with national policies as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework in section 12 in relation to conserving and enhancing the historic environment.