‘An attack on democracy’: Developer admits discouraging residents’ objections
By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter
A housing developer has admitted to discouraging residents from filing objections to planning applications it submits.
The development director of Berkeley Homes said at a Greenwich council meeting on December 10, that controls were in place throughout residential leases to avoid negative representations being made.
The news was revealed during a meeting in which the planning board was considering two applications for a project to deliver 663 new homes alongside a new four acre green space, Maribor Park, to the site between Duke of Wellington Avenue and Beresford Street.
Outline planning permission for the Woolwich scheme was originally granted by the authority in April 2013.
The updated project will see seven blocks rising up to 18 storeys-tall. A total of 306 ‘affordable’ homes would also be delivered, including 90 social rent units on site and 25 homes at the developer’s Kidbrooke Village scheme.
A further 101 units would be available for shared ownership and 90 would be sold at a discounted rate.
Resident Michael Doe, who has lived in the Royal Arsenal for 14 years, said at the meeting that he was the secretary for a local residents’ association consisting of 519 people.
He criticised the consultation carried out by Berkeley and felt residents’ concerns had not been fully addressed by the developer.
Mr Doe said at the meeting: “Berkeley Homes already exercises far too much unaccountable power over the Royal Arsenal.
“This is a private company which ignores existing residents and delivers services and utilities in ways which prevent, deliberately, residents having any say.”
Paul Prichard, development director at Berkeley, said in response that there was no formally recognised residents’ association at the Royal Arsenal but that the developer would welcome such a group.
He added that 3,600 letters on the scheme were sent out to locals during the project’s consultation stage.
Labour Councillor Gary Dillon asked Mr Prichard if there was a ‘gagging order’ in place for occupants of Berkeley developments that prevented them from objecting to applications.
Mr Prichard said that residents’ voices can be heard during consultation. But, he said controls within residential leases ask that residents don’t make formal objections to planning applications.
Labour councillor David Gardner said: “I have never heard of that before, that’s remarkable. That actually is an attack on democracy.
“Would you consider in this application, if we give approval this evening, not putting that stipulation on any future leases? It’s an attack on free speech, it’s a basic human right surely.”
Mr Prichard responded by saying the request to residents was never enforced despite being included in leases for a number of years and the developer believed in the right to free speech.
Cllr Dillon asked if the stipulation could be removed from future leases, to which Mr Prichard said he would have to consult with the developer’s legal team.
The planning board voted to agree to the proposed changes to the housing scheme.
Cllr Gardner described the updated fire safety provisions as necessary and praised the affordable housing provision alongside the design of the buildings.
Pictured top: A CGI of one of the new buildings for the project based on the corner of New Warren Lane and Duke of Wellington Avenue (Picture: PRP Architects / Berkeley Homes)