11 May 2011
City of London’s Planning Committee approves recommendation to
acquire interest at 20 Fenchurch Street under s227 of the Town and
Country Planning Act
The City of London Corporation's Planning and Transportation
Committee today approved a recommendation allowing the City to
consider acquiring an interest in land under section 227 of the
Town and Country Planning Act in order to engage section 237 powers
so that developments can proceed where they could otherwise be
prevented by injunctions prohibiting infringements of rights of
light.
The Committee went on to use these powers to allow the City of
London to acquire an interest in the development at 20 Fenchurch
Street.
A City of London spokesperson commented;
"The City of London has a long standing planning policy of
promoting development in order to maintain the supply of - and to
match the demand for - high quality office space in the Square
Mile.
"The Heaney case has cast doubt upon the basis to which rights
of lights issues are to be resolved and represents a significant
obstacle to future developments both in the city and indeed
throughout the country.
"The Planning and Transportation Committee’s decision to agree
to the use of powers under S237 ensures that developments deemed to
promote economic development and other public benefits in the City
- of which 20 Fenchurch Street is certainly one - can proceed
without running the risk of injunctions being applied with regards
to rights of light."
The decision is subject to the concurrence of the
Policy and Resources Committee which is due to meet on
Thursday 12 May and the Court of Common Council which is due to
meet on Thursday 9 June.
Ends
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Email james.abbott@cityoflondon.gov.uk