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Public inquiry call for Barracks plan
Mira Bar-Hillel14.04.09
THE multi-billion pound Chelsea Barracks scheme should be decided by a public inquiry, one of London's most senior politicians said today.
The call follows claims that plans for the complex of luxury flats submitted by the Qatari Royal family breach Westminster council's original guidelines for the site.
Critics, who include the Prince of Wales, are likely to use these alleged breaches to bolster their objections to the development and strengthen demands for a public inquiry.
London's deputy mayor Kit Malthouse, a close ally of Boris Johnson, hinted that the Mayor could now direct the council to refuse the planning application.
Mr Malthouse, the London Assembly member for the area, told the Standard: "This site and the design implications are too important to be decided at a purely local level.
"The best outcome would be for the developers to withdraw their current plans and produce something more in keeping with the local area which would comply with the brief. If they insist on carrying on, then Westminster council should reject the Qatari proposals. The Mayor should direct the council to reject, or the Communities Secretary must order an inquiry."
Westminster council agreed a "planning brief" for the site in October 2006, ahead of its sale by the Ministry of Defence. The document, seen by the Evening Standard, suggests the nature and importance of the site meant that buildings should be no higher than four to six storeys and that metal, glass and plastic should not be used on the facades.
But the original design produced in September by the architect Lord Rogers was for 14 steel and glass blocks rising to 11 storeys. That was toned down, following massive objections, to nine-storey blocks and a larger open space.
The Westminster council "planning brief" is not legally binding, but must be given "material consideration" in the planning application process.
It calls for "a landmark residential development, which relates sensitively to the surrounding historic townscape context...".
The document adds that "high buildings will not be considered appropriate" because buildings in the surrounding streets are no higher than five storeys.
The Chelsea Barracks site was sold for £1 billion in May 2007 to Qatari Diar, the development arm of the Qatari government, and CPC, a company run by developers Nick and Christian Candy.
The development has led to a diplomatic row with the Prince of Wales reportedly holding meetings with the Qataris to try to reach "mutual accord" over its design.
The Standard last week revealed that Prince Charles is backing an alternative "classical" designed for the barracks by architect Quinlan Terry.
Mr Terry said today: "My proposal is at a very preliminary stage. But I have endeavoured to respect the council's brief as a matter of principle and I think they should do the same."
