Campaigners against plans to build a massive office complex including a 20-storey tower in central Brixton today (6 November) pledged to continue their fight against it.
Lambeth council’s planning committee on Tuesday narrowly approved proposals submitted by an Amsterdam-registered company that does not own the site.
The #NoHondoTower campaign said: “The fact that the Lambeth council planning applications committee has approved this application means that the Lambeth Local Plan counts for nothing, setting a precedent for all future planning applications to now be openly negotiable.”
“The fight against the tower continues. We will not give up on protecting our Brixton from this nauseating development. Watch this space!”
Hondo Enterprises, which runs Brixton’s covered markets on a day-to-day basis and shares one director with AG Hondo Popes Road BV, the successful planning applicant, said the proposed development would deliver 2,000 jobs for Brixton and £2.8m every year for the local economy.
Its single director, Texan Taylor McWilliams, said: “We fully appreciate this has been seen as divisive by some, so we commit today to redoubling our efforts to work in partnership with the local community.
“As we move forward, and as agreed with the committee, we will work with all elements of the local community to ensure that our scheme delivers benefits for them.”
Campaigners against the development have highlighted the lack of wide consultation in Brixton about the plans, especially in its early stages, but McWilliams claimed the project “was conceived in extensive consultation with local stakeholders and we want the community’s voice to be heard on this landmark scheme for Brixton.
“In addition to affordable workspace and £1.875m funding for skills and employment, over the next few months we will set up a community liaison group.
“This group will look to identify and map how the local community can engage with this project.
“We look forward to getting started on putting our plans for the site on Pope’s Road into action and delivering a project that will benefit the people of Brixton for generations to come.”
