A council enforcement order to stop construction manufacturing work on an unregistered site that sprung up on the Isle of Dogs has been slapped on the owners—spelling victory for neighbours having to put up with noise and pollution all day.
A temporary order has been sent to Reddington Construction by Tower Hamlets Council because the site in Cuba Street in Millwall doesn’t have planning permission for building work—first revealed by the East London Advertiser June 8.
The notice from the town hall’s planning compliance manager states that the council considers “there has been a breach of planning control”.
It specifies “the unauthorised change in land use to a construction staging and preparation site and storage area”. The council “now prohibits the carrying out of the activity”.
Reinforced concrete panels were being assembled for developers of the Landmark Pinnacle skyscraper going up in Westferry Road nearby, an Advertiser investigation found.
One of the neighbours in Cuba Street told the paper: “We hear banging and hammering all day long and have to keep the windows closed. It looks like they’re making balconies, cutting steel rods with a noisy grinders.”
Metal grinders were being used for cutting pipes. Lorries were delivering concrete to assemble panels for the Westferry Road construction round the corner.
But now the work has had to stop. Workers we5r4e on site yesaterday seen clearing up.
The enforcement order follows pressure from Tory councillor Andrew Wood whose Canary Wharf ward includes the site. He first lodged a complaint at the town hall in April, soon after the work started.
Reddington Construction didn’t have “the appropriate planning permission”, according to the town hall, so temporary enforcement action began after discussions with the company appeared to have failed.
The site had been empty several years after Ballymore Homes was refused planning permission for a tower block.
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