By Max Neufeld
How much does it cost to buy planning permission which allows you to irreparably damage a conservation area and trample on the human rights of residents by allowing 18.5 tonne lorries to start deliveries at 6am? In Camden, it cost only £950,000 for the high street retailer Primark to be granted planning permission. But then Camden has never valued its residents in the south of the borough very highly.
Background: Hanway Street conservation area under threat from giant clothes retailer
This is absolutely terrible – I’m gobsmacked. Another disastrous ploy by Camden Council to erode our lovely area and strip it of all its character. What is going to happen to Hanway Street? Will it literally be flattened to make way for this loading bay or…?
Well done to Fitzrovia News for highlighting this sad development.
I was sorry that this application was accepted, narrowly, by the development control committee, for the reasons I outlined when I spoke against it:
lack of consideration of pedestrian numbers in the future (especially post-Crossrail) along Hanway Street and Tottenham Court Road, western side. The already narrow pavement will be narrowed yet further, and the council report itself stated that refuse lorries (maximum size: 7.5 tonnes) already struggle down there. Road widening is unlikely to compensate to allow 18.5 tonne lorries coming from Northamptonshire, and my query regarding overhang was also not responded to.
Other concerns raised regarded the impact on the Hanway Street conservation area and the impact on traffic on TCR. I am keen to follow up on the safety aspect of such large lorries using such a narrow street.
As ever, we Bloomsbury Labour councillors remain at residents’ disposal (Milena Nuti, Abdul Quadir, Adam Harrison: bloomsbury@camdenlabour.org.uk)
Adam Harrison, Bloomsbury ward councillor