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Mayor 'breaking promises over £75m skyscraper on market site'
Mira Bar-Hillel and Jonathan Prynn06.08.08
Boris Johnson accused today of reneging on two key pledges - to stop the spread of "inappropriate" tower blocks and to preserve small shops.
It follows a letter of support from one of the Mayor's most senior aides for a 31-storey skyscraper that would result in the demolition of a popular east London market.
The building is part of a proposed £75million redevelopment of Queens Market in Upton Park, close to West Ham United's stadium.
The market, home to dozens of traders, would be replaced by a new facility.
Developer St Modwen submitted plans to Newham council on 1 May, the day Mr Johnson deposed Ken Livingstone as Mayor.
Campaigners had hoped the Tory's manifesto pledge to accept applications for skyscrapers only in existing "clusters", such as the City and Docklands, meant the proposals would be blocked.
But in a letter to the council, deputy mayor Ian Clement, who is handling the application for the Greater London Authority, said the scheme would be acceptable if the design quality of the tower "could be further demonstrated".
The letter, written on 27 June asked for some other minor changes but did not object in principle to the height of the tower or the destruction of the market.
Saif Osmani of the Friends of Queens Market said he was upset at the Mayor's approach: "The proposal is an uninspiring, high-rise development, out of character with local buildings which average two to three floors, mainly traditional Victorian terraced houses.
"It is out of context, will increase congestion in an already heavily congested area and will put over 100 local traders out of their shops, up to 80 per cent of whom are from ethnic minorities and already suffering poorer health and shorter life expectancy than national and London-wide averages.
"For these people Queens Market is a lifeline and a means to enter into work."
He said St Modwen has given assurances that it would work with tenants in the small shops to ensure sustainable rent levels but he claimed the company was now demanding a 100 per cent rent increase from one trader and one of over 40 per cent from another.
"This flies in the face of the reassurances given by the council and St Modwen that the market will survive the redevelopment," added Mr Osmani. In a letter to the Mayor, he said: "You have previously said tower blocks must fit into the 'local context' and will not be allowed in inappropriate locations.
"You criticised the previous mayor's love affair with high-rise buildings, which you said were 'wrecking London's skyline'. You have also pledged to protect local shops and independent traders. We look to you now not to go back on your word."
In his election manifesto, Mr Johnson signalled a change in planning policy from his predecessor, saying skyscrapers would have to be supported locally.
One proposal, the "Penny Whistle" tower in Ealing, has been scaled back from 40 to 24 storeys to comply with the priorities of the new regime. Last week the Mayor unveiled proposals requiring "affordable shops" to be included in any major new retail development.
The St Modwen application will be considered by Newham planning committee next month. The company was not available for comment.
Reader views (20)
I completely agree with Mr Cunninghams point.
Yes it is one issue that people will be put out of jobs and to that end, we should tackle the problem.
However, because of one persons ethnic background it should not be a reason to say yes or no, in fact it shouldn't come into it. If your legally entitled to be in Britain then you shouldn't be worrying about ethnic origins. People make a choice to live in Britain yet when something happens it is discrimination or because of where they are from.
I think its time for people who constantly play this card to grow up and face facts. Its a problem in the area we have to deal with!
- Alan, London, UK
I'd hazard a guess that the folks directly affected here are, by and large, people who did not and would never vote for Boris. Whereas in Ealing the the opposite is probably true.
It's a truism of two-party politics that those elected are not going to prioritise the views of people who would never vote for them anyway. Why would they?
- Paul, London, UK
I smell racism and discrimination against poor people in this new plans for Queens Market. How can one reconcile expensive goods prices which this development will bring, with the high level of poverty and deprivation in the area?
I can buy a bowl of fruit for one pound today. I'll be lucky if I'll be able to buy an empty bowl after this so called redevelopment.
Boris, Robin, all the same to me.
- Roger, london
Saif Osmani of the Friends of Queens Market says that the building "will put over 100 local traders out of their shops, up to 80 per cent of whom are from ethnic minorities".
Why should their ethnicity make any difference?
If they're relatively poor and are going to be put out of business, then it sounds like a bad idea.
Their ethnic backgrounds shouldn't make any difference.
- Robert Cunningham, Harrow, London, UK
Boris, we don't want ugly buildings and we want our markets and small shops... I have faith in you to care for the man in the street or woman,..!!
- Jean, London England
Property developers have the eye on lots of markets sites around London and beyond. The worst thing about this is the way Newham Council have ridden roughshod over local opinions. It is high time some journalists ventured to Newham to ask SEARCHING questions of the Mayor of Newham.
- Mark Jones, East Ham, E6
I live 10 minutes away from the market and it is fantastic. It sells a range of cheap, healthy foodstuffs to an ethnically diverse group of people and offers an alternative to the clone town supermarkets (of which there are around 5 within a 3 mile radius) which are killing small businesses across this country. The plans have been drawn up by a company with no interest in the local community beyond the profits in can generate and a council that has lost its moral compass. The market needs to be restored not replaced by luxury flats and the usual range of identikit high-street chains.
- Michael, Upton Park, London
I visit Queens market as often as I can because in my experience it is a unique place, with a wider ethnic diversity than I find in newer 'mall' shopping areas. it also has at least one third-generation local trader -- there has been a market on that site for over a hundred years.
I wouldn't travel more than a hundred miles to buy from a market just like dozens of others around the country, nor to look at just another 30-storey building.
We need to ask why Newham council want to sell off a place that belongs to the local community and is wanted by the people who live there. Who benefits?
We need to ask whether their chosen developer St Modwens has a good record in their other market developments around the country, and whether they have previously been a benefit or a blight to the areas they have bought property in (their purchase of a pier in Brighton might be an example to look at).
We need to ask why Newham want to destroy a unique place in this way.
Perhaps they ought to keep the market as it is (but fix the leaking roof they have allowed to get worse and worse over the past two years, and clean the ground a bit, and provide a toilet) and allow the people visiting the Olympics to have a chance to visit it, and not tear it down until after 2012.
- Chris Bell, Bristol, England
Hmmm and Boris is giving a job to one of his 'Cronies' yes'Lazarus has risen'
- David, London UK
The proposed 31 storey tower block is totally inappropriate for the area and the redevelopment itself would cause even more congestion to Green St, which is already gridlocked on Saturdays and other market days. Queens market has flourished in its present format for over 100 years and while few would deny that it is urgent in need of a facelift, it should basically be left as it is and not sold off to a property developer who are more interested in profits than preserving the markets unique character and atmosphere.
- David Elsom, East Ham, London
I used to live two streets away from Queens Market, None of the residents, or the market traders, or people who use the market, want the social centre of Green Street destroyed, but the council has only ever been interested in the money.
There's been no consideration of where the residents of this new high-rise will park cars, or how they'll get to work (no new buses or trains to serve a station that's already severely overcrowded).
This fiasco, combined with the Olympics, was reason for me to move out of Newham. "A place where people choose to live and work" is what the council claims to want - well, I chose to move there because of the market and the local community, and in destroying that the council has made me choose to leave.
- Roger, High Wycombe, Bucks
Crouch End is a far cry from Upton Park. As a Newham resident I want to see progress and development that is appropriate to the area. The development proposed by St Modwen is not appropriate and not wanted by local people.
Real street markets in London are tourist attractions. Mini shopping centres are not. And who wants a high rise block of flats in their local high street?
- David Genese, Newham,London
If this goes through it will change the whole of Upton Park in East London.
This will not be for the first time in the last 25yrs. I remember when Queens Market was an old fashioned all Cockney market, now its an immigrant market. It will be a shame if it goes as it does offer a wide range of ethnic foods. But I suppose times march on.
The East End is going up market, with millionairs apartments along the river at North Woolwich and West Silvertown. I guess this trend is starting to drift inland.
- Rosieinlondon, england uk
Boris said that Ken interfered into borough councils decisions and that he would let them decide. This promise must apply to both Tory and non-tory councils alike. He has already raised objections to plans for a development at Waterloo station but it makes sense to locate major commercial developments near transport interchanges and therefore prevents a spread into residential areas.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Why is anyone surprised? Boris was always going to renege on so many of his pledges....
- Andy, London
Quote
local buildings which average two to three floors,
Admittedly it's been some while since I lived there but does this mean the block of flats immediately behind the QR market has been demolished? If so that's probably a good thing IIRC they were an eyesore.
Boris mate - think again. The QR market is (IIRC) a valued local resource.
BTW Newham has a Labour Council and Mayor (Sir R Wales)- What do they say about it and are 'Brown Envelopes' a factor? Since local government is usually inherently a pit of vipers....
- Ethan, nr Dole Farm, UK
As a conservative soul, with a liberal mind and a socialist heart, I have a no political axe to grind, but a very wise man, my father once let me into the biggest secret of understanding politics,
"No matter what political party wins the vote, the government always gets in"
The needs of running a Government, be it local, regional or national is very different to the narrow aims of running a political machine.
No matter what promises are made to get in, the needs to do right for the greater good must come first
Also in this media and internet savvy world, we are told so much but remember, there are things your Governments have to do, that we the people shouldn't know, tough decisions, that left not made cause us all danger.
Regeneration and progress is a path which is sometimes very hard to walk, but look around our Great City, and make no mistake London is a Great City, we have rebuild, and make progress constantly throughout our history, the mix of cultures, people, building design, transport and structure, our ability to cope WW II, the IRA, 7/7 are all examples of how great London was, and is.
We have started saying No for the sake of it, causing public inquiries and costs, maybe, it is time we said Yes, negotiate, say to developers, Yes, but can we have this, or can it look like this, share ideas, develop communities, dialogue, become partners. You know as Londoners we can achieve anything and everything.
- John Kirby, Crouch End, Islington
Make that three things he's reneged on. He is also reneging on letting motorbikes in bus lanes too. Unfortunately Boris is turning into a typical politician; says one thing to get voted in and then does the opposite.
- Jl, London
People who know the area will also know that there already is a high rise block there. In any case, how does the existing ugly dilapidated 1960/70s concrete slab they call Queens Market in keeping with the surrounding Victorian terrace buildings? Some people have strange views on architecture but that is completely ridiculous.
- Eileen, London, England
Get real people. A 31-storey building is hardly defined as a skyscraper anymore. Even the tallest tower in Britain (One Canada Square at Canary Wharf) only just made it to the top 200 tallest building in the world - hardly a skyscraper by world standard. It's shown how backwards we have become as a nation.
- Ad, London
