Berkeley 1,000-home schemes wins planning after Mayor overturns Islington council鈥檚 refusal
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has overturned a decision by Islington council to refuse planning permission for a Foster & Partners-designed 1,000-home scheme on north London鈥檚 City Road.
The City Forum scheme comprises a 42-storey tower block and a 36-storey tower block, a hotel, a cr猫che, retail and office space and will deliver 995 homes, 30% of which will be affordable.
Johnson called in the scheme in December after it was rejected by Islington council.
In a statement City Hall said the scheme 鈥渃an alleviate some of London鈥檚 pressing housing needs and regenerate a part of London that is in need of improvement鈥�.
City Forum is the second scheme in two days to be controversially approved by the Mayor, after yesterday.
The planning decision for Convoys Wharf was taken out of Lewisham council鈥檚 hands after developer Hutchinson Whampoa complained Lewisham council鈥檚 planning process was moving too slowly.
Johnson said: 鈥淟ondon is enjoying an unprecedented population boom and by 2030 will become the first city in Europe to be home to ten million people.
鈥満蒙壬鶷V new homes and creating more jobs is absolutely crucial so that we can ensure this growth is sustainable.鈥�
Councillor James Murray, Islington council鈥檚 executive member for housing, said: 鈥淲e are very disappointed by the Mayor鈥檚 decision - he has waved this development through and let down people in Islington.
鈥淲e think the Mayor has been fooled by the developers who are going to make a lot of money from this scheme, and who we believe could provide many more genuinely-affordable homes for Londoners on this site.鈥�
Berkeley Group said they will aim to start construction on site this summer.
Berkeley鈥檚 divisional managing director Justin Tibalid, said: 鈥淲e want to bring real benefits to the area and to London as a whole, not least through a major investment in high quality affordable housing.鈥�
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