29/02/2016 Sustainable Hackney called on the Mayor of London to reject the Bishopsgate Goodsyard planning application and submitted the following comments:

This locality became desirable because centrally located yet financially accessible premises were available to creative and technically skilled Londoners allowing them to develop ideas, products and businesses.  The continuing success of the sectors now present depends on the continued existence of the factors that stimulate the creativity of Londoners and the development of independent businesses: the co-location of low cost housing and employment space and supporting services and goods.  As such, development on this site should be of human scale, promote interaction and be “stitched into” the existing neighbourhood.

Instead, the proposed development still contains unsuitably tall buildings.  These will overshadow and deprive existing buildings and communities of daylight, are not conducive the creative and stimulating interaction.  In addition, such tall buildings have significant disadvantages: they use excessive energy at a time when energy efficiency is of paramount importance, deter the movement of air worsening our intractable air quality problems and even increase the rate of fatal heart attacks by increasing the time taken for medical assistance to reach patients.

London does not need more luxury flats.  London needs low cost, centrally located housing to sustain its communities and to reduce its workforce’s need to travel.  The current social cleansing is socially and economically unsustainable, as is the increase in demand for energy for transportation.

In our view, the unique opportunity afforded by such a large centrally located site will be made best use of by a community-led development and that opportunity should be led by our local authorities.  It is unlikely that the existing developers can provide what is needed.

The deal between Network Rail and the developers should be transparent and scrutinised to ensure that the value of the publically owned land accrues to the public.  The financial viability statements should be made public.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14/11/2015

Join the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development campaign. This is the epitome of the unsustainable housing being built in London.  It's an outrageous proposal with nothing for people on average wages in London.

Furthermore, Boris Johnson has chosen to bypass our local councils' democratic process and decide the Goodsyard Plans himself, following a request by the developers. Write to him opposing this development.

Everyone needs to make their voices heard more strongly to stop the Bishopsgate development with less than 10% affordable housing.  This public land should be used to build council housing - and we need government grants so that our councils can do just that. 

See this for more info: http://spitalfieldslife.com/2015/11/07/bishopsgate-goodsyard-meeting/  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghtdcwQwl2g

 Sign the petition , Local Councils and the GLA: Reject the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development proposals. and look out for the demonstrations against this development.