London Mayor Boris Johnson has approved a controversial development that will involve the partial demolition of a historic Spitalfields building. The mayor made the decision despite the fact that Tower Hamlets council has twice rejected the application which has been vigorously opposed by a campaign led by TV historian Dan Cruickshank.
The London Fruit and Wool Exchange, built in 1929 will now be demolished to make way for an office and retail development that is expected to create 2,300 new jobs. As a result the 60 small businesses currently based in the building will have to leave by November – only the facade will remain.
Opponents of the development, who claim the plan will result in the loss of Dorset Street, home to Wedgwood’s first showroom and the site of Jack the Ripper’s final murder, shouted “shame on you” as the Mayor used his powers to overrule the council’s earlier decision.
Mr Johnson defended his intervention by claiming that the facade will be restored to its “former glory” and that the new offices and shops will “regenerate the Spitalfields area with thousands of new jobs and brand new commercial opportunities.” He added that the wider London economy will also benefit.
BBC broadcaster and local resident John Nicholson is another opponent of the Spitalfields development.
He said; “Tower Hamlets Council have ruled twice that the building should be retained, across party lines which is most unusual.
“But Boris Johnson has this extraordinary power. He can step in and decide that he is going to act as the planning officer for any building in London.
“It’s a developer’s fantasy, not least because Boris Johnson has voted for the developers in 100 per cent of cases.”
A spokesperson for the mayor claimed that he had listened to submissions from both sides of the argument before arriving at his decision.
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