Cala’s QC gives high-court masterclass in slicing pickles
The much-anticipated challenge to communities secretary Eric Pickles’ decision to abolish regional planning strategies got off to a good start in the high court last Friday.
Peter Village QC, for Edinburgh-based housebuilder Cala Homes, in a brilliant five-minute summary of his case, accused Pickles of “dancing on the head of a pin”. He said that Pickles had “unlawfully misused his power in pursuit of the localism agenda” and that it was for parliament, not the secretary of state, to choose to change the law or to take it in a new direction.
Great stuff, but it was unfortunate that Village didn’t have the audience he deserved. Coming out of court, Diary saw at least a dozen hacks outside, who had been negotiating with the usher to gain entrance to the hearing – already packed to capacity with law-firm trainees, frantically scribbling down each legal hammer blow.
Hamptons takes diplomatic stance on marketing
How, in these straitened times, does one go about offloading 77 of the poshest flats in London? Overseas marketing tours are a favourite option. But upmarket estate agent Hamptons International – which is marketing Northacre’s former Thistle Lancaster Gate hotel in Bayswater, W2 – is also looking closer to home, with a novel solution. It decided to hold a networking event at the scheme for staff at more than 70 London-based embassies.
One can imagine the ambassadorial guests chit-chatting over vast platters of Ferrero Rocher as they toured the £16m, 5,315 sq ft show apartment. But was the evening a success? Absolutely, says Hamptons. To date, 55% of the project has been sold.
Agents well-versed in sales
And hats off to Brighton estate agent Paul Bonnett, who has engaged a poet to help his team with property descriptions.
Offerings for a two-bedroom flat with a balcony and sea view were unusual, to say the least. They included: The sea meets the sky, like old comrades they share a warm embrace. As well as Autumnal channel, opposite inner calmness, buses pass nearby. Beautiful.
Rose turns toward the light
Cheered by robust UK growth figures published this week, soon departing Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose (was in chipper mood at the World Retail Congress in Berlin. He told 1,100 retailers and senior industry figures: “I’m not as worried about this recession as I was in the 1970s.” Nor does he foresee a double-dip recession for the UK.
Could his comments augur well for his replacement Marc Bolland’s strategic review of the business, due in just over a week’s time?
Train approaching
It’s full steam ahead at Old Oak Common, a 32-acre development site next to Wormwood Scrubs in west London, W12. The local council has earmarked the railway sidings site for 3,000 new homes as well as offices and industrial, research and distribution space.
There had been fears that these ambitious development plans would run into “leaves on the line” because they can only be realised if Old Oak Common gets the go-ahead to become a Crossrail interchange. But sources close to Hammersmith & Fulham council told Diary this week that the Crossrail plans were back on track.
John Lewis for Lisburn? You just can’t say ‘no’
Plans to build an extension to an out-of-town retail park in County Down, Northern Ireland, have been causing a storm in the province. The proposals by Westfield and northern Irish developer Snoddens to build a 50,000 sq ft extension to the Sprucefield shopping centre near Lisburn have been going through the planning system since 2004. They face fierce opposition from local town-centre retailers, which shows no signs of abating.
In an attempt to gauge local opinion, Lisburn city council has set up an online poll asking residents to show their support for Westfield’s new planning application, which will bring the first John Lewis to Northern Ireland. But when looking at the site (www.lisburncity.gov.uk/sprucefield-development-petition), Diary was surprised that the council gives voters no way to voice an opinion against the scheme.
