Plans to construct 407 homes on the site of a former gas works in Stepney are being challenged today in Londons High Court. A local resident claims that the land is contaminated, and alleges that the threat posed by the scheme to the surrounding environment has not been fully explored.
John Gillespie, of Maroon Street, London E14, is asking Richards J to quash the Secretary of States decision to grant planning permission for the development on the 3.5ha site in Harford Street, Stepney.
Gillespies counsel, David Wolfe, today argued that the Secretary of State was wrong to grant Bellway Urban Renewal Southern planning permission to build on the “extensively contaminated site” without first obtaining an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
Mr Wolfe said that the Secretary of State had decided that the plans, which include four-storey buildings, were “unlikely to cause a significant effect upon the environment”, and an EIA was therefore unnecessary. He instead imposed conditions requiring the developer to investigate the extent of the contamination and to implement remedial measures.
However, Mr Wolfe argued that the Secretary of State was wrong to decide not to obtain an EIA when the potential effect of the development upon the surrounding environment, particularly given the potential disturbance of contaminated ground water, was unknown and still to be assessed.
The hearing continues.
Gillespie v Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions Queens Bench Division: Administrative Court (Richards J) 2 December 2002.
PLS News 2/12/02
