PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED

by Jez Bond

The wait is finally over. This morning we received the good news. Islington council have granted our planning permission. Due to the fact that there were so many letters and emails in support and that there were no objections, the decision was an officer delegated one. We had originally been told that, as a major application (more than 10,000 square feet) the decision would rest with the planning committee. Incidentally the session we were expecting to be at is tonight – so we are ahead of schedule by a few hours!

Thanks to the Islington officers and councillors we have always been confident of receiving planning approval. We met them first over a year ago and felt a shared passion for what we were proposing and for how it would positively affect the area.

Despite this, the process over the past few months has been somewhat tedious, very time consuming and extremely technical. I do remember earlier references to cutting down an inordinate number of trees for the application. Indeed planning has become swamped with technical spiel, legal jargon and paragraph upon paragraph of policy. I quote: …subject to conditions and in accordance with policy 4B.1 of the London Plan 2008 and policies Env1, D1, D3, D4 and D11 of the UDP 2002… And that’s just a snippet. I don’t know how they do it.

On that note many thanks are due to Phil Allard and Jessica McSweeney at Planning Perspectives. They are the ones who have truly negotiated our way through this minefield. Thanks also to David Apple from DSA who has performed way beyond the call of duty to prepare the necessary documents from the energy and sustainability side of things. Also the ever reliable Dominic Way from BB7 has done a fantastic job in creating our fire strategy and Rory Sullivan from Sharps Redmore has been invaluable on the acoustic front.

And as for my ever trusty shoulder to cry on, my psychotherapist, my 24/7 hard working colleague, my rock, my friend…. It wouldn’t have happened without you.

One day we’ll get you that linen suit… and a hat…

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