Westminster’s Ebury estate demolition ‘underhand and unscrupulous’

London Assembly spokesman and Labour MP Tom Copley has branded Westminster’s plans to demolish the Ebury Bridge Estate “underhand and unscrupulous”. Copley claims the council’s demolition plans via permitted development are void due to conditions that block this on sites that are “unsafe or otherwise inhabitable”. He says as the owner of the site, Westminster council has allowed it to fall into disrepair. Copley has written to council leader Nickie Aiken, arguing that the council is using “loopholes” and “avoiding proper scrutiny of its proposals by members of the public and the Mayor of London”. He has also written to Sadiq Khan, requesting an intervention from the GLA. I’ve written to the Leader of Westminster Council calling on her to halt this demolition and to engage with residents and the Mayor about the future of the estate pic.twitter.com/HVIwNJIO2S — Tom Copley (@tomcopley) September 20, 2019 Development at the Ebury Bridge estate in Pimlico, SW1, has been in the works for a number of years. Westminster City Council will act as developer and is seeking a development partner for the £350m estate renewal. The council is due to begin demolition on the site next month, to bring forward the delivery of 752 new homes, including reprovision for the estate’s 229 residents.The regeneration will more than double the number of homes on the estate, half of which will be affordable. The estate has been the focus of continued debate between Westminster City Council and City Hall. Last year, Sadiq Khan revoked a £23.5m funding after the council refused to hold another residents’ ballot. The ballot is a condition of GLA grant money for local authorities, but Westminster said it held a ballot previously, as well as an extensive consultation with residents. Copley said: “It is clear that Westminster City Council are using all the loopholes at their disposal to rush through these underhand and unscrupulous demolition plans. “Alongside expediently lining things up so they can dodge proper scrutiny from the public and the Mayor, scheduling demolition works before a full planning application has been submitted leaves significant uncertainty about the estate’s future.” Rachael Robathan, Westminster City Council member for finance, property and regeneration, said: “It’s extraordinary that a Labour London Assembly Member is trying to stop this project, especially given the shortage of affordable housing in the capital. “Westminster was an early adopter of votes on renewal projects. We’ve learned that they’re not the answer. One-off votes on regeneration projects by their nature are a snapshot in time and are no substitute for how you really know what a community thinks.” To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @estatesgazette