Plans for a massive leisure redevelopment scheme at Battersea Power Station and Battersea Water Pumping Station could be put on hold following a demand for an investigation into the way planning consent for the scheme has been handled.
June Hautot, a member of the Battersea Power Station Community Group, has been granted High Court permission to ask the court to quash Wandsworth London Borough Council’s decision to allow more time for developer Parkview International London plc to submit the finer details of the redevelopment scheme, for which it has already won outline planning permission.
Deputy Judge Roger Henderson QC has ruled that Hautot had an arguable case on some of her points, and has granted her permission to launch a full challenge.
The scheme, as it stands, includes provision of rides, attractions, theatres, cinemas, nightclubs, restaurants and bars. It would also involve the redevelopment of nearby land to provide a riverside path and new pier, 41,805m2 of media offices and post-production film studios, 46,190m2 of product showcase pavilion floorspace, 930m2 of retail, 500-750 flats, plus two hotels.
In 1997, Parkview was granted outline permission that had to be implemented within five or two years of the last approval of reserved matters. However, in September 2002, the council extended the period within which certain “reserved” aspects of the scheme could be submitted for approval, thus extending the time limit for the planning permission.
Hautot is claiming that the council were wrong to make that decision without first carrying out an environmental impact assessment (EIA), contending that the developer should have been required to make a new application for planning permission for the scheme.
She claims that there has been a complete failure to comply with the EIA regime throughout the handling of the application.
Hautot’s application Queen’s Bench Division (Deputy Judge Roger Henderson QC) 4 April 2003.
References: PLS News 7/4/03
