Covent Garden Tenants’ Association (CGTA) has said it is “hugely disappointed” that Wandsworth Council has approved the plans for the market redevelopment, subject to meeting contract conditions.
CGTA have said they will now appeal the decision, as they say developers are not listening to the “very real and valid” objections to plans. Any appeal to an approved planning application must be in the form of a judicial review, and be based on objections to the process. Thames Water and local residents have also lodged objections to the planning application.
Gary Marshall, chairman of the CGTA, said the organisation recognises it is outside of the planning committee’s remit to review the financial deal itself, but highlighted the “unusual process” of the bidder valuing the land themselves.
'We are hugely disappointed with the council's recommendation for approval, especially given the volume and variety of objections to this development,” he said.
“Thames Water have stated that the infrastructure for water disposal and waste management will not cope with the development, local residents have concerns over noise pollution and road safety, and our own fears are for the market itself and the 2,500 men and women working here.
'We will be appealing this decision as Wandsworth Council appear to be giving the developers carte blanche on the development of the market, rather than listening to the very real and valid objections they have received.”
“We continue to be very surprised and disappointed that a national public asset can be sold off at such a grossly undervalued price, as set by the developer, without deeper review or investigation by either the mayor or the secretary of state,” he added.
Local resident, David Tillyer, said the nocturnal working hours of NCGM creates “significant noise disturbance”, and said he had hoped the new market would accommodate these concerns.
“The original plans promised significant enhancements to the local community with more sensitive positioning of noisy activity away from residential boundaries,” he said.
But he said that under the new plans noisy activity has been located close to the existing residential border.
A spokesperson for Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) said the body had no comment to make about the decision to appeal.
On the news that Wandsworth Council had approved plans, CGMA chair Pam Alexander said she was grateful to everyone who has worked to ensure the future of NCGM.
