Yesterday we looked at how tall buildings can have a devastating impact on the daylight received by neighbouring homes. Regardless of this, they are often still approved by planning authorities. Why do councils grant planning permission to these buildings that so clearly damage the homes of local residents, even when planning policies say that amenities like […]
Taking the piss on the Garden Bridge?
The battle over the Garden Bridge continues. The issue of public toilets has flushed out a questionable land deal with Coin Street Community Builders. This latest dispute has seen Lambeth Council officers backing Joanna Lumley’s scheme, in open rebellion to their councillors and the public. Forget the dodgy procurement process, the huge amounts of public money being thrown at the scheme, the […]
Marking the homework – How developers pay for ‘independent’ checks on their affordable housing deals
After writing my last article on how surveyors appear to be deliberately manipulating valuations in order to reduce the affordable housing obligations on their clients, a number of people commented that those figures are supposed to be checked by financial viability consultants employed by the council. Surely, if the developer is trying to game the system, it […]
The Shell Centre and The Battle for Waterloo
The Shell Centre is currently the headquarters of the Shell International Petroleum Company. Built in 1954, at the time it was an innovative and controversial building. But love it or hate it, the plans to redevelop the site are a disaster, demonstrating all of the worst excesses of the current London development market. Eight tall […]
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