A campaigner opposed to the proposed redevelopment of the Shell Centre on London’s South Bank has failed in his bid to have the planning permission quashed.
A three-judge panel at the Court of Appeal in London rejected the claim brought by George Turner, a campaigner who describes himself on his Twitter feed as a “tax justice networker, writer, cyclist”.
At a hearing last month Turner’s lawyer, Jonathan Darby, told the court that the planning inspector who recommended the project showed “an appearance of bias” both before and during a planning inquiry, favouring the backers of the scheme.
Darby said that even before the inquiry had started, Turner was being forced to “fight his corner” over aspects of inquiries that are usually “a given”. He said that the inspector was “quick” to accept alterations to normal procedure requested by the developers.
“During the hearing the inspector consistently treated objectors unfairly and gave rise to an appearance of bias,” Darby said.
Lawyers for the proposers of the development disputed Turner’s claims.
Daniel Kolinsky, lawyer for the secretary of state, said at last month’s hearing that the inspector may have been “extremely discourteous”, but that does not make him biased.
“Making valid and objective points in a discourteous, or extremely discourteous way”, does not make those points any less valid, he said.
The multi-million-pound development project involves partial demolition of the Shell Centre and redevelopment with eight blocks arranged around the retained Shell Tower, varying in height between five and 37 storeys, delivering 2.3m sq ft of floorspace comprising offices, retail and leisure uses as well as up to 877 flats.
It is being proposed by Shell International and Braeburn Estates, a developer jointly owned by Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar.
Turner v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and others. Appeal of Claimant from the order of Honourable Mr Justice Collins. (Longmore J, Davis J, Sales J) 11 June 2015
