Scheme at 72 Upper Ground was given green light by Michael Gove last month
A campaign group has formally begun a legal challenge against Michael Gove鈥檚 approval of Make鈥檚 72 Upper Ground scheme on London鈥檚 South Bank.
It comes after Save Our South Bank (SOSB), a collective of campaign groups which oppose the controversial office project, had said earlier this month they were looking to hand in a legal submission to the High Court challenging the communities secretary鈥檚 decision.
The scheme, described by SOSB as 鈥楾he Slab鈥�, was approved by Lambeth council and London mayor Sadiq Khan in 2022 but called in by Gove鈥檚 predecessor Greg Clark later that year.
Designed for developers CO-RE and Mitsubishi Estate, it is one of the biggest construction projects in the capital and would see ITV鈥檚 former 24-storey studios at 72 Upper Ground demolished and replaced by two blocks of 26 and 13 storeys.
The 拢400m construction contract is due to be carried out by Lendlease with the overall development costing 拢700m.
The campaign group says Gove鈥檚 decision on 72 Upper Ground was 鈥渓egally flawed鈥� because it contradicts Lambeth council鈥檚 local plan, which had zoned the area for mixed-use projects. Make鈥檚 proposals for the site would be almost entirely office space.
Opponents say Gove 鈥渕isinterpreted planning policy and failed to recognise the requirement to deliver housing as part of the development鈥�. They are also challenging on heritage grounds, in particular the scheme鈥檚 impact on protected views.
After the official submission of legal documents, the High Court has three months to decide whether there is a case for a judicial review.
If it decides there is, it will then book in a hearing which would likely take place this autumn and last one or two days. If the court decides to quash Gove鈥檚 ruling, the government will then need to make the decision again.
The campaign group added that it needs to raise 拢10,000 in legal funds by 13 April with 拢1,500 so far pledged.
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