Fury as Lambeth planners cave in to railway company

11.02.56am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th May 2008

"Cynical manoeuvre" as council betrays residents

Shock news that Lambeth Council plans to do the dirty on Sternhold Avenue and allow the damaging Streatham Hill rail depot development to stand has sparked fury among residents and ward councillors alike.

Almost two years ago opponents of the canopies and the rest of the grotesque scheme won a famous victory when planning councillors threw it out, ruling that the installations, which had been erected without permission, were a breach of planning control.

Council officers were instructed to go away and come up with plans to enforce the committee's decision.

But instead of doing that, they and the Labour politicians who now run the Council have been working away behind the scenes for 20 months on just the opposite, a plan to overrule a previous democratic decision.

They have wasted tens of thousands of council taxpayers' money employing a series of consultants to come up with arguments why the original decision was wrong.

At a meeting in just eight days' time, on May 20, they plan to persuade the planning committee to reverse its earlier decision, arguing that the canopies and other installations are covered by permitted development rights.

And if the committee still won't agree they want the committee to say it is not "expedient" to have the installations removed because they say the impact on residents is not serious enough.

"Tell that to the residents of Sternhold whose lives and properties have been blighted by this disgraceful development," said Lib Dem Councillor Jeremy Clyne

"We are trying to get the meeting on May 20 postponed so that the residents, and we ourselves, can examine the 250 page report in detail and prepare counter arguments to put before the committee."

"If the Council refuses to postpone the meeting it is vital that as many residents as possible attend to show the strength of local opinion. It is due to be held at the Town Hall, starting at 7pm, " said Cllr Ashley Lumsden.

Planning officers also aim to hold a site visit, on Saturday morning May 17 at 10am. "That needs to be changed too and like last time must be held after dark so that councillors can see for themselves the impact of lights and night time operation on neighbouring homes," said Cllr Lumsden.

"This is an elaborate and cynical manoeuvre to reverse a previous decision. As far as I can see the Council has come up with no new arguments to support the development and it is a disgraceful abuse of the system to attempt to rerun a debate which they have lost, " added Cllr Clyne

Council officers claim there is insignificant impact on residents. But at the same time as they recommend that the development is allowed to stand they are also recommending that officers and councillors should "seek to negotiate the removal of the canopy nearest" homes in Sternhold Avenue.

"How incredibly naïve to believe that Southern/Network Rail would get permission to keep its development as it is, and then cave in and dismantle it," added Cllr Lumsden.