Celebrities Split Over Riverside Studios Development |
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Sir Peter Blake is amongst those opposing new plans
Riverside's website says that famous faces from the world of theatre and entertainment, including Jo Brand, Bill Bailey and Simon Callow have joined its Artistic Director William Burdett-Coutts in supporting the scheme. However, other well known figures including Chiswick artist Sir Peter Blake, playwright Stephen Poliakoff, actresses Harriett Walter and Francesca Annis have condemned the plans, and are among many well known names who have signed a letter to the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council opposing the plans in their current form and asking for the consultation period to be extended. Local people and groups, including The Crisp Road Residents' Association, Hammersmith Embankment Residents Association, the Hammersmith Society and The Queen Caroline Residents and Tenants Association have also expressed their reservations about the scheme. Residents held a well attended meeting last month to discuss these reservations, though no one representing the developers chose to attend. In September, London Developer Mount Anvil, working in conjunction with A2 Dominion, submitted the application to comprehensively redevelop Riverside Studios and the adjacent Queen’s Wharf building as part of a combined mixed-use development. You can read full details of the application here. Hammersmith and Fulham's Planning Applications Committee is expected to decide whether to approve it on December 19. Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of the Labour Group of Councillors in Hammersmith and Fulham criticised the timing, saying: " It's now apparent that the application for the Riverside Studios/Queens Wharf scheme will be heard at a specially arranged meeting of the Planning Applications Committee on 19th December. "At just six days before Christmas it appears this date has been chosen to curtail the numbers of local residents likely to attend. I encourage anyone who is interested to come along. It starts at 7pm and will most likely be held at Hammersmith Town Hall."
December 14, 2013
December 14, 2013
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