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Public Inquiry on Redevelopment of Area Around SK Station Starts January 18, 2023
News  |  Wed - January 4, 2023 11:09
The proposed Bullnose 'tower' would throw the arcade and surrounding streets into shadow.
The proposed Bullnose 'tower' would throw the arcade and surrounding streets into shadow.
ONA along with other Residents' Associations has been campaigning against Native Land/TfL's Around Station Development plan for South Kensington Station since 2020. RBKC's planning committee unanimously refused its approval in November 2021. Mid-2022, Native Land/TfL appealed RBKC's decision and the Planning Inspector agreed to review the decision via a Public Inquiry. 
 
The Inquiry will begin on Wednesday, 18 January 2023 at 10:00 am, in the Great Hall of Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street.  We strongly encourage you to attend on this first day and the last day of the inquiry, which is 3 February.  A large audience will demonstrate to the Planning Inspector how much residents and other stakeholders care about protecting and preserving the residential and heritage assets of our area.   

ONA and other RAs remain in favour of heritage-led development that respects the scale and architecture of the neighbourhood and preserves the Listed Station, protected views and open public spaces, such as the Station's piazza. All these are threatened if not destroyed by Native Land/TfL's current plans.

ONA became a 'Rule 6' party in order to have an active role, appointing our own barrister to cross examine the appellant's case and having our own witness expert to give evidence. In order to share the costs, ONA formed a Rule 6 Party Group, named 'Associations' by the Planning Inspector, with Pelham Residents' Association and Pelham Street Association.  The Group submitted to the Planning Inspectorate the following documents, attached below: 

1. Our Statement of Case--the formal document setting out our case
2. Our Witness Proof and appendix on Heritage by Robert Ward-Booth, Bsc (Hons), MRICS, Dip Bldg Con, IHBC
3. 
Our Witness Proof and appendix on External Design, specifically height and bulk, by Paul Valluet, Chartered Architect, B.A. Hons, B.Arch. Hons, M.Litt., R.I.B.A., I.H.B.C. 

The Group's mandated legal experts are from Farrer & Co and 39 Essex Chambers.

All other Inquiry documents submitted by RBKC, Native Land/TfL, and other Rule 6 Parties can be found on RBKC's Planning Application Website under the Scheme's original Application references: PP/20/03216 and LB/20/03217



 
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