The developer that has been told to knock down two towers by the Woolwich Ferry says Greenwich Council will be “wasting significant sums of taxpayers’ money” if it continues to pursue the company.
Comer Homes said on Wednesday morning that it would be appealing against the council’s enforcement notice telling it to demolish phase 2 of the Mast Quay development, which was finished at the end of last year.
A planning inspector will now decide if the enforcement notice is valid. If Comer loses the appeal, the final word could be had by the courts in a judicial review.
The development was approved in 2012 but not finished for another ten years. Many of the 204 rented flats are now occupied, but the metal and grey-clad buildings visibly differ in appearance from the glass-covered blocks given approval by the council.
Greenwich has accused Comer Homes of 26 planning breaches, including not building promised roof gardens and a children’s play area and of building wheelchair-accessible flats containing steps to their balconies. A promised landscaped garden was said to have been replaced with a car park.
Residents had “poorer quality accommodation” in the 23 and 15-storey blocks than was promised, the council said, while the footprint of the towers was bigger than planned.
The council said its decision to serve the notice came after a year-long investigation. But Comer said that it was “surprised and extremely disappointed” by the council’s decision.
“We are particularly surprised to see the accompanying public statements which are inaccurate and misrepresent the position and our actions,” the company said.
“We will be appealing against the enforcement notice and look forward to robustly correcting the inaccuracies and addressing the council’s concerns.
“We have over many months sought to engage constructively with the council, and notwithstanding these disproportionate actions, remain willing to do so.”
Comer had submitted a retrospective planning application for alterations to one of the two blocks, but this was rejected earlier this year.
The company added: “In our view, the council’s concerns regarding Mast Quay Phase Il can be addressed through following normal process and engaging with us on a retrospective planning application.
“We encourage the council to meet with us and agree a way forward which will avoid wasting significant sums of taxpayers’ money on litigation when sensible solutions to their concerns are available.
“We are also prioritising the interests of residents at Mast Quay Phase Il and we will continue to do all that we can to assist them to remain secure in their homes while we respond to the council’s actions.”
The 40-page enforcement notice was served on Monday to Mast Quay Developments, a British Virgin Islands-based company, as well as two banks that helped finance the scheme.
Comer said in its statement that it was “justly proud” of its “track record of delivering high quality developments across the United Kingdom”.
But the company was accused on Tuesday by Aidan Smith, the cabinet member for regeneration, of building “a mutant development that is a blight on the landscape”.
Comer said it would be making no further comment on the row. The order does not affect the original phase of Mast Quay, which was finished in 2007, although works to replace cladding were recently given permission.
It is extremely rare for councils to order the demolition of such high-profile buildings. Alex Grant, a former Greenwich councillor who chaired its main planning committee in the 2000s, welcomed the news on social media. “15 years ago there would have been a fudge of some kind,” he said. “Well played.”
Do you live in Mast Quay? Contact The Greenwich Wire in confidence: greenwichwire[at]flyovermedia.london
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