Sellar Developments’ £775m Renzo Piano-designed Paddington Cube has once again hit planning difficulties, as communities secretary Sajid Javid issued an Article 31 direction to prevent Westminster City Council from formally granting planning permission to the scheme.
A letter written on behalf of Javid to the council said: “The secretary of state hereby directs your council not to grant permission on these applications without specific authorisation. This direction is issued to enable him to consider whether he should direct under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 that the applications should be referred to him for determination.”
This allows Javid time to consider whether a public inquiry into the application is needed.
The move follows opposition to the plans from groups such as SAVE Britain’s Heritage, the Georgian Group and the Victorian Society, which urged Javid to launch the enquiry into the development.
The 360,000 sq ft, 14-storey office block replaced plans for a 72-storey skyscraper, nicknamed the Paddington Pole. That proposal was scrapped after concerns from residents, groups and Westminster City Council over its height.
Great Western Developments and Sellar Paddington submitted the revised proposal for the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office, which sits adjacent to Paddington Station. It will hover 12m above street level, over 1.35 acres of public space and provide 80,000 sq ft of shops and restaurant.
The Department for Communities and Local Government, Westminster City Council and Sellar Developments have been approached for comment.
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