Anti-supermarket ‘bug’ battle: next stop High Court?

Protestors took part in a ‘Bug Parade’ against another Sainsbury’s store in Stoke Newington in July: Photograph: Eleonore de Bonneval

Campaigners from pressure group Stokey Local will seek to mount a judicial review challenging Hackney Council’s decision to grant permission for a controversial Sainsbury’s store in Stoke Newington.

The Town Hall’s planning sub-committee gave its blessing to the plans by Newmark Properties at a raucous meeting in late July at which some of the hundreds of opponents present hissed at and heckled speakers in favour of the scheme.

The decision followed a two year battle during which campaigners staged several headline-grabbing marches including a ‘bug parade’ and ‘zombie walk’.

Councillors on the sub-committee had already thrown out earlier plans but gave the green light to Newmark Properties’ revised proposal at the same time as the company was in the process of mounting its own legal appeal against the earlier rejection.

Newmark Properties, which maintains the supermarket will bring benefits to the area, will also build new homes on the Wilmer Place site – but Stokey Local claims the scheme will have a harmful impact on ecology around Abney Park, said to be the most significant nature reserve in the borough.

The Hackney Citizen understands the pressure group is seeking to raise £5,000 in 20 days in order to fund the judicial review bid.

Legal papers must be served before 18 September.

For judges to quash the council’s decision, they would have to be convinced the council’s decision-making process was flawed.

Planning sub-committee Chair Cllr Vincent Stops said “The decision to grant permission for the revised plans was taken in line with planning regulations. Whilst members of the committee shared the concerns of residents we would not have been able to reject plans based on public opinion alone.

“Had the plans been rejected the council’s decision could easily have been overturned, allowing the developers to proceed with their original plans for the site.”

Related:

Leader – Town Hall’s inconsistent line on Stoke Newington supermarket