Candidates for May’s election for London Mayor and the London Assembly are being challenged over where they stand on the controversial Bishopsgate goodsyard development.
Environment groups including the More Light, More Power campaign which is fighting proposals for what it calls a “Berlin Wall of skyscrapers” that would put a large swathe of Shoreditch in shadow from the sun, are to put questions to the candidates in a public debate.
The environment hustings is being staged at Shoreditch Church on January 21, starting 7pm.
Parties which have so far agreed to take part are Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, with others showing interest.
Outspoken politician George Galloway, former ‘Respect’ MP for Bethnal Green and Bow who is running for mayor, says he will attend.
Environment groups from across London will put questions to the candidates in front of an audience.
They include East London Garden Society, which is calling for an urban woodland at the Bishopsgate site, the Thames Estuary Partnership and Save Southwark Woods, as well as More Light More Power.
Meanwhile, the date the public hearing into the Bishopsgate goodsyard proposals has been fixed for March 11. The hearing for objections takes place at City Hall with London Mayor Boris Johnson.
Both Tower Hamlets council and neighbouring Hackney Council have rejected the Bishopsgate plans.
But the developers, Hammerson’s have gone over their heads and appealed directly to Boris Johnson to take over the planning decision before he steps down from Office in May.
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