Clapton tram sheds get reprieve
Clapton Tram Sheds demonstration outside hackney Town Hall earlier this year
The tenants of Clapton’s historic tram sheds have been given a last minute reprieve after Hackney Council refused to give permission for a new development.
Last month the head of the council’s planning department decided not to allow a neighbouring council-owned community hall to be included in the project, thus derailing the scheme.
The move practically overturned the planning permission granted in June to site owner Sean Meadows to convert the tram complex in Upper Clapton Road into five new 5-7 storey buildings.
This was the third planning application for the site to be rejected.
“This last hub of small and bespoke manufacturers, artists, sculptors and art galleries in the north-east of Hackney with some 70 plus associated jobs now at least has a reprieve,” said David White, secretary of Beecholme and Casimir Tenants’ and Residents’ Association (TRA).
The TRA’s refusal to hand over their hall to the developer has played a large part in scuppering demolition.
“We are very thankful [to our] councillors Linda Kelly, Ian Rathbone and Deniz Oguzkanli,” added Mr White. “Since the planning committee’s [June] decision they [the councillors] found out that no permission had in fact been given to include the hall and fought to keep it for our use.”
Representatives of Mr Meadows’ development vehicle Upper Clapton LLP were not immediately available for comment. A council spokesperson said: “There are clearly some very complicated issues surrounding this planning application and we need to look at this in further detail before we can comment.”
Note: this story was amended 10.50am Thursday 9 September 2010
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