PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release
May 14th 2009
BORIS JOHNSON REFUSES QUEENâS MARKET HIGH-RISE DEVELOPMENT
Mayor of London Boris Johnson today directed refusal of the controversial
redevelopment of Queenâs Market, Upton Park, East London. The planning
application by St. Modwen Properties had been approved by Newham councillors
and passed to the Mayor.
His decision was based on the height, appropriateness and quality of design of
the 31-storey tower dominating the scheme. The plans proposed three residential
tower blocks in all, containing mainly private flats, with the market space /
mall reinstalled under a âpodiumâ level.
Long-running campaigners Friends of Queens Market are relieved that a
development that would have been there for years to come has finally been
halted. They said the plans directly threatened the existence of the
110-year-old award-winning market which sells a wide range of affordable,
healthy and diverse produce in one of the poorest London boroughs. Building
work would have meant a split-site temporary market forcing out 40% of the
traders. Rents have already begun to rise under developer St. Modwen, who the
Council chose to manage the market prior to leasing it out for the development.
Strong local opposition to the developersâ involvement on the site began in
2006 with a 12,000 signature petition and there were over 2,600 letters of
objection to the current scheme. The campaign itself ran since 2004. London
Assembly members Jenny Jones (Green Party), Dee Doocey (Lib Dem) and Andrew
Boff (Conservative) supported the campaign.
âWe are so pleased that Boris has stopped St Modwen and the Councilâs
plans. High-rise blocks are not the solution to improving this area and now we
have the possibility of an alternative development and improvement plan,
supported by local people, retaining the rent levels and character of the
marketâ, Alice Cook, local resident and supporter of Queenâs Market.
âThis development should never have been supported by Newham Council as local
people were always going to lose more than than gain by it, for example in the
tiny amount of social housing. Newham Council should now start looking after
Queenâs Market rather than letting it fall into disrepair as our markets are
an important part of local life and the local economy.â, Iqbal Chohan, a
regular shopper.
âLondonâs markets are disappearing fast under the guise of regeneration and
local communities are continually priced out of urban regeneration projects.
This decision shows there is a chance to do it better but we must continue to
be vigilant about the protection of our markets, small businesses and areas
with character, with support from the GLA and our local authorities.â, Saif
Osmani, Acting âCoordinator of Friend of Queenâs Market.
Contact: Lucy Rogers 07903 975 473, Saif Osmani 07915 234 404
www.friendsofqueensmarket.org.uk
Notes for Editors:
The Mayor said (13.05.09):
âI have carefully considered this application. However, it is obvious that a
tower of this size, so much higher than any existing tall buildings in the
area, is neither attractive or in proportion or suited to any of the
surrounding buildings, streets or the general urban realm of Newham.
I am not opposed to the improvements to Queenâs Market, but I am against this
inappropriate tower and have, therefore, instructed Newham not to approve these
current plans.â
The BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards gave Queenâs Market second prize for
the best UK market 2008. Judges looked for âexcellent produceâ and
âmaking a difference to the local communityâ and described Queensâ Market
as the âthrobbing bustling hub of a truly multi-ethnic areaâ.
Newham Councilâs planning report cited negative impacts of the scheme in the
following areas: housing mix, lack of open space, loss of light, health,
education, wind, noise, air quality, transport, parking. CABE described
buildings as âbulky and overbearingâ. The GLAâs Stage 1 report said the
scheme did not comply with the London Plan. Newham councillors approved the
scheme on April 22 by a vote of 7 to 1.