Protestors' anger as Ken backs five-storey building

9:20am Wednesday 6th February 2008

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Campaigners fighting a controversial plan to extend a housing development in Hampton Wick have expressed disappointment after London's mayor backed it last week.

Plans by Linden Homes to build 198 apartments as well as a creche and nursing home, alongside additional retail and office space, on a former gas works in Sandy Lane, were approved by Richmond Council in 2005. The developer applied to alter the scheme last year, initially seeking permission for 238 units and hoping to build a six-storey block overlooking Bushy Park, before amending the application to a maximum height of five storeys and reducing the number of homes by four.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone told Richmond Council he approved the plan for 238 flats on the site, known as the Jewson site, subject to a few amendments and reiterated it in his latest report.

David Harnden, chairman of the Sandy Lane Site Action Group, said he was not surprised the mayor was in favour and Councillor Tony Arbour, who represents Hampton Wick on Richmond Council and the borough on the London Assembly, said it would be an environmental disaster and place an intolerable burden on roads, schools and drainage.

Mr Harnden said: "We'd love to hear a convincing reason for them supporting a proposal that is more than 40 per cent denser than the uppermost limit in their own London Plan for this kind of neighbourhood." He said the GLA had always wanted to cram as many homes as possible on to the site and criticised Linden Homes for changing the approved development, which he said is the maximum the site can hold.

Coun Arbour said: "Mr Livingstone's support for the scheme is based on 50 per cent affordable housing which is the adopted policy of Richmond's Lib Dem council, which has given both himself and the developer a nod and a wink that this scheme is acceptable."