DOWNTOWN DEFENCE BULLDOZED AS LABOUR IGNORES LOCAL RESIDENTS AGAIN (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

DOWNTOWN DEFENCE BULLDOZED AS LABOUR IGNORES LOCAL RESIDENTS AGAIN

August 10, 2006 6:20 PM

The long campaign by Rotherhithe residents, the Downtown Defence Campaign, and local Lib Dem councillors to save the Downtown area from an inappropriate high rise development by Barratt Homes has been defeated by the Labour government.

Following a Public Inquiry in April this year the independent Planning Inspector gave full support to local residents and the Council in rejecting Barratt's development. But Labour's Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly MP, has now weighed in to overturn the decision and allow the development to go ahead.

This closely follows moves announced by Labour to give their Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, more powers in the future over local planning decisions, taking decision-making even further away from the local community.

Southwark Liberal Democrats have vowed to continue to fight for the government's Downtown decision to be reconsidered and are calling on ministers to stop interfering in local issues against independent advice.

Commenting, Cllr Lisa Rajan, local Liberal Democrat member for Surrey Docks ward and Executive Member for the Environment, who gave evidence to the Public Inquiry, said:

"It is completely unacceptable that the Labour government is once again ignoring the wishes of local residents and locally elected members and imposing this development on us.

"Downtown is very close to the ecological area of Russia Dock Woodland. The independent inspector recognised that Southwark Council had a good case for rejecting the Barratt's development. But Ruth Kelly is completely ignoring that advice so she can tick boxes to meet her self-imposed targets.

"Southwark Lib Dems will continue to work with local residents and the Downtown Defence Campaign to urge the Local Government Secretary to change her decision. We will fight for the local community's right to be listened to."

Cllr David Hubber, fellow Lib Dem member in Surrey Docks ward, added:

"This makes a mockery of the Labour government's supposed 'double devolution' as it takes away more power from our local community.

"It comes just weeks after the Labour Mayor threatened to impose high rise developments across the whole Rotherhithe peninsula against the wishes of local residents, the Council, and the ruling of the independent inspector.

"It is clear that Labour ministers have no respect for local residents or local democracy."