Stokey Local vows to ‘fight on’ against Sainsbury’s supermarket development

Perseverance: the battle for Wilmer Place continues. Photograph: Stokey Local

Campaigners have announced they will be taking their fight against the development of a Sainsbury’s supermarket to a Court of Appeal.

Developers Newmark Properties want to build a five storey development, containing a supermarket and 53 homes – only nine of which are affordable – off Stoke Newington High Street next to picturesque Abney Park.

Pressure group Stokey Local suffered a serious setback last month when a legal challenge they had launched against the Council’s decision to grant the scheme planning permission was rejected.

Following a three-day hearing, High Court judge Mrs Justice Patterson dismissed the claims in what the campaigners admitted was a “comprehensive drubbing”, leaving the group to foot a hefty legal bill.

However, following a packed-out emergency meeting last week in St Paul’s West Hackney, the campaigners voted to continue the fight against the supermarket giant and are now trying to raise funds to appeal the High Court decision.

Hackney Council have twice approved planning permission for the scheme but were challenged in both instances by judicial reviews launched by Stokey Local, styled (JR1 and JR2).

Mr Perry, representing Stokey Local, argued that in both planning applications the Council did not subject the proposal to the necessary scrutiny required by European law, in order to determine whether a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was required.

He argued that with only nine “affordable flats” in the scheme, and only two for social rent, the Council’s own policy target of 50 per cent in new developments will not be met.

Stokey Local also argue that certain documents, which explained why the developers decided to reduce the percentage of affordable housing from 50 to 17 per cent, were withheld from the Council’s planning sub-comittee.

The campaigners say they need to raise between £9,000 and £14,000 in order to launch the appeal and are planning community events to raise the funds.

At the time of writing, Newmark Properties had not responded to a request for comment.