黑洞社区

Local residents are threatening to take legal action against Westminster council if it grants planning permission to Richard Rogers鈥� design for the Chelsea Barracks site in June.

The Chelsea Barracks Action Group said it would ask for a judicial review of Westminster council鈥檚 decision were it to give the green light to Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners鈥� design.

The 拢1bn development has been plagued by controversy since the Prince of Wales wrote to the emir of Qatar, the site鈥檚 owner, to ask him to consider replacing Rogers鈥� 鈥渦nsympathetic鈥� modernist design with one by traditionalist architect Quinlan Terry. Qatari Diar, the site鈥檚 developer, subsequently said it was wholeheartedly committed to Rogers鈥� design.

The Chelsea Barracks Action Group said it had taken a barrister鈥檚 advice as to what legal route it could take to block the nine, and that further meetings with the QC had been scheduled.

Georgine Thorburn, the group鈥檚 chair, said it had received substantial financial backing from an anonymous donor, and was seeking to push the council to return to its original low-rise development brief.

She said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e taking this very seriously. We鈥檙e up against a very powerful development, but we are totally committed to getting the plans back to the original brief, should the council be foolish enough to pass them.鈥�

Claire Dutch, a partner in solicitor Lovells, said success in such cases was often 50-50, and that anyone going to court faced 鈥渟evere hurdles鈥�.

She said: 鈥淭he grounds on which a third party can take the decision-maker to court are narrow. They will have to prove to a judge that the council acted unlawfully before the case can go ahead.鈥�

Thorburn said the group would also push for Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, and Hazel Blears, the community secretary, to call in the scheme.

As 黑洞社区 went to press, a meeting had also been scheduled with the Taxpayers Alliance 鈥� the group that is planning to sue several MPs over the expenses scandal, with a view to signing it up for the fight.

A spokesperson for Westminster council said: 鈥淚t would be inappropriate to comment prior to a committee hearing.鈥�