Housing Secretary Asked To Recall Plans For London Tower

Controversial plans for an Allford Hall Monaghan Morris 24-story office tower in Houndsditch were approved by the City of London’s planning committee in November, but later became the first application to be referred to City’s Court of Common Council in 34 years, Architects’ Journal reported in December. The planning application was due to be discussed by the City’s ultimate decision-making body; however, when the Court of Council convened, a procedural motion was moved to skip the item, and the planning application was not discussed. Edward Lord, the motion’s proposer, said considering it would be “an abuse of process that puts [the City of London] at legal risk, let alone massive reputational risk as a planning authority.” Since then, four councilors have written to Housing Secretary Michael Gove to ask him to intervene in the planning process for the tower. In the letter, they said the application “contravened the City’s own policies on office development, tall buildings, massing and bulk, daylight and sunlight and sustainability” while also accusing the City of London’s planning committee of “habitually rubber-stamping office developments, however much they contravene the City’s own planning policies, and whatever harm they do to the City’s own residents and its heritage.” The call comes as other local politicians also raised concerns about the tower.