Councils launch JR bid to overturn Mayor's grant of planning permission on key site

Islington and Camden councils have applied for judicial review of London mayor Boris Johnson’s grant of planning permission for redevelopment of the Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant site.

The councils argue that the mayor failed to secure the maximum affordable housing and did not fulfil the requirements of policy and fair process when he assessed the scheme’s viability.

Johnson granted planning permission for 681 homes on the site in October 2014.

According to the councils, viability evidence showed that at least 42% affordable housing would be possible, with the majority being for social rent. But planning permission was given with only 24%  affordable housing achieved.

James Murray, Islington’s executive member for housing and development, said: “Mount Pleasant is a huge site where we could have built hundreds of genuinely-affordable homes. “But instead of supporting local residents and the local councils, Boris Johnson handed the Royal Mail a huge windfall at the expense of affordable homes.”

When he gave planning permission, Johnson said he had achieved a doubling of the amount of affordable homes proposed for the site. He said Camden and Islington both missed deadlines to consider applications, after which Royal Mail Group asked him to take on the role of planning authority for the scheme.

Royal Mail had originally proposed only 12% affordable homes, the mayor said, but the scheme would now include 163 affordable homes, of which 98 would be for affordable rent and 65 shared ownership.

Affordable rent homes would on average be charged at 44% of the full market rental value in the area.   

Johnson said: “Building new homes is absolutely crucial and by working closely with the local authorities and Royal Mail we have been able to bring forward a scheme that had been in serious danger of stalling while doubling the amount of affordable homes.”