REQUEST FOR SECRETARY OF STATE AND MAYOR OF LONDON TO CALL IN THE PLANS BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS ARE TOO HIGH 1st July 2011 We would like to request a call in for the planning application for Chelsea Barracks following the planning committee meeting at Westminster City Council. We are requesting this on the grounds of ;- Conflict with national policy on important matters      Ignoring the legal protection of our historical areas and listed buildings The heights of the apartment blocks as they are represented in the current application will have an oppressive effect on the Grade 1 Listed Royal Hospital Chelsea, the recently listed Grade 2 Garrison church and the Belgravia Conservation Area. The Statutory legislation to ensure that our history is not overruled by overbearing tower blocks has been studiously ignored. The 31.4m buildings will dwarf the 12m high chapel and the 15m Infirmary building of the Royal Hospital. Despite a year of repeated requests to lower the heights next to these buildings throughout the "consultation" period the developers have been deaf to this request.      The line of the historic river Westbourne runs through the site. No compliance with the statutory requirement for a thorough archaeological investigation of the site is to be imposed. This is despite there having been established human activity on this site as a result of the river since roman times, let alone the proposed demolition of the historic bazalgette conduit through which the river continued to run in more recent times. our attempts to have this latter aspect properly investigated have been blocked by the developers.      This is doubly important if, as we believe, that element of the system continues to operate as a relief sewer/ storm drain destruction of which could cause significant pollution problems if not incorporated correctly into the development, whichever form it takes. Significant effects beyond immediate locality      Riding roughshod over our laws which are in place to protect our citizens and history This needs to be called in as an example to foreign developers that the laws and guidelines issued by this government must be adhered to and not dismissed out of hand. Legislation is in place to protect the citizens from over development which this site is and the heights are neither sympathetic nor compliant with the Westminster City Planning Brief so widely supported by the residents. If this development is allowed to proceed without impunity it will send the wrong message to developers who will see that with a large payment of money ( in this case £78million for the Section 106 ) then there is no resistance from local authorities who are desperate to replenished their coffers.      The old Chelsea barracks was almost invisible from the river and the south bank, the new development will tower above the old sightlines and create a completely new picture for the whole of that area, and make a fundamental change to the skyline of London, as well as making it almost impossible for planners to refuse new high buildings along the north bank of the river in future Give rise to substantial regional or national controversy If it is seen that large donations to the Section 106 can influence Planning committees then this could have disastrous results nationally with the few benchmarks set by authorities beings swept aside. The Planning Committee in this instance did not make a properly informed decision whilst on site. They requested that the developers put up a marker to show the full extent of the heights and the full impact that this would have on the listed buildings and conservation area In breach of this, the marker when erected showed only the lowest houses not the highest apartment buildings. The refusal of the committee to insist on this being corrected, and in making their decision based on the false height should also be the subject of investigation. With the new Bribery Act now in force, and given the huge sums of money involved by which bodies and individuals associated with this development may enrich themselves, we would also expect that in any decision making process the developer should be asked to demonstrate what procedures are in place to prevent the outcomes being swayed by illegal payments. We do not believe such a request was placed by the planning committee, so it is essential that your department does so. Significant architectural design issues There is no architecture proposed with this application merely the enormous heights and footprint. So there is a fundamental design issue and it is impossible to judge the full effects of this development and its suitability without seeing any architectural design. Involve the interests of national security or a foreign government      This is a Qatari development and there are concerns that there is no limitation to their purchase of London. this would be not be so unacceptable if they were not having a drastic effect on the skyline of our capital city with sky high developments such as One Hyde Park. Westminster City Council agree on retrospect that it is too overwhelming, which is what will happen with the Chelsea Barracks development for when it is built it will be too late and our iconic part of London distorted for ever more. The restrictions of overdevelopment by foreign investment must adhere to our laws of our democracy. We repeat our concerns about the application of the Bribery Act and its impact on our relations with such an important Middle East partner if not controlled at the outset. Chelsea Barracks Action Group www.chelseabarracks.org.uk

QATARIS DUPED WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHELESEA BARRACKS ACTION GROUP

The decision by Westminster City Council (WCC ) to give permission last night for the full 100feet ( 30.4m ) edifices will be regarded in history as the beginning of the end of our gracious English city.

The heights of the buildings will forever alter the nature and feel of this iconic part of London, which is what visitors love about it. The developers, Qatari Diar, the development wing of the Qatari Royal Family have been deaf to requests since last summer to reduce the heights of their newly proposed plan. Locals are keen for the development, but not at soaring heights that will mushroom over the Conservation Area, Grade 2 listed church and Grade 1 listed Royal Hospital Chelsea.(See attached projected image)

"hey have got this permission through trickery by displaying the smallest building on site not the tallest so that the WCC planning committee was unable to make an informed decision. Instead they were duped with an ipad presentation which does not show the full impact the buildings will have" says Georgine Thorburn, Chair of Chelsea Barracks Action Group, who campaigned successfully against the previous Rogers design.

Could it possibly have something to do with the lure of £78million which the Qataris will give to WCC? We suspect that it was too great for the council to resist. Having lost £50million of council tax payer's money in the Iceland banking crisis they did not have the backbone to stand by their own Planning Brief, which states 6 floors and no plant, to give permission for 8 floors plus plant.

CBAG now plan to lobby the Mayor Boris Johnstone to ask him to call it in to reduce the heights in the interests of London and its skyline.

For further information contact

Nimbys handcuffed to Chelsea Barracks railings

17 June 2011  |  By Nick Johnstone

Chelsea residents have today chained themselves to the bars of Chelsea Barracks, inprotest against the failure of developer Qatari Diar to demonstrate the full height of the huge residential scheme that will be built at the site.

Residents from the Chelsea Barracks Action Group, who had today waived a day at Ascot in order to take the action, said that the developer had broken its promise to show residents how the tallest 9-storey, 100 ft tower, would affect views of the 'classical' buildings in the surrounding area.

Georgine Thorborn from the group said residents were willing to be arrested over the protest, which she said was precipitated by Westminster's failure to property consult on the scheme ahead of the planning meeting that will decide if the scheme goes ahead, which is scheduled for Monday evening.

She said: 'We are protesting at the broken promises of Qatari Diar to not display the height of the resi block, and whether they would create an eyesore over a classical part of London.'

She said the developer had promised to erect cranes to the height of the tallest buildings in order make the impact of the development clear.

'Westminster council has been entirely spineless in not forcing the developer to consult us properly on this.

'So instead of going to Ascot we've chained ourselves to the railings, because this is so important.

'Our MP Mark Field doesn't give a damn, the mayor doesn't give a damn. It's very undemocratic.'

Local residents chain themselves to Chelsea Barracks railings

Protesters from the Chelsea Barracks Action Group hit out at developer Qatari Diar

Chelsea residents today chained themselves to railings outside the proposed Chelsea Barracks site in a protest against the actions of developer Qatari Diar and Westminster council.

Residents from the Chelsea Barracks Action Group said that the developer had broken its promise to show residents how the tallest 9-storey, 100 ft tower within the scheme would affect views of buildings in the surrounding area including Wren's Royal Hospital.

Georgine Thorburn from the group told BD's sister title PropertyWeek that residents also felt that Westminster had failed to consult properly on the Dixon Jones,Squire & Partners and Kim Wilkie Associates-designed scheme ahead of next Monday evening's planning meeting.

Thorburn added that she and fellow protestors were prepared to be arrested.

She said: 'We are protesting at the broken promises of Qatari Diarto not display the height of the resi block, and whether they would create an eyesore over a classical part of London.'

She said the developer had promised to erect cranes to the height of the tallest buildings in order make the impact of the development clear.

'Westminster council has been entirely spineless in not forcing the developer to consult us properly on this.

'So instead of going to Ascot we've chained ourselves to the railings,because this is so important.

'Our MP Mark Field doesn't give a damn, the mayor doesn't give a damn.It's very undemocratic.

Much improved but still too high!

View of buildings along Chelsea Bridge Road
Red - Rogers Old Plan 121ft (36.88m)
Blue - Current Plan 94.9ft - 99.8ft (28.9m - 30.40m)

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