Permission granted to challenge controversial Barbican demolition
Planning and Environment, Public Law and Judicial Review, Cornerstone Climate
The City of London applied to itself for planning permission in respect of parts of the Barbican Estate, including listed buildings and scheduled monuments, predicated on substantial demolition. Planning permission was granted by the City of London. The office-led proposals, known as “London West Wall”, drew more than 800 objections, many focused on the climate impacts of the proposal and the high “embodied carbon” – emissions produced in the whole life cycle of the building, including its construction materials.
Barbican Quarter Organisation Ltd, an association of affected residents, sought permission to challenge the grant of permission on three grounds relating to:
(i) the absence of appropriate arrangements to ensure impartiality in the determination of the application;
(ii) the failure to apply policy relating to avoiding demolition; and
(iii) the failure to consider alternative schemes, not least those involving less demolition.
Yesterday, Lang J granted permission on all three grounds.
Estelle Dehon KC and Riccardo Calzavara are instructed on behalf of Barbican Quarter Organisation Ltd by Ricardo Gama and Lily Hartley-Matthews of Leigh Day.
