PROTESTERS turned up for the opening of a Town Hall public inquiry today into the controversial redevelopment plans for part of East London’s historic Limehouse Cut.
Developers want to pull down the ‘locally listed’ former Poplar Labour Exchange next to the canal and put up two tower blocks of luxury flats up to 11 stories.
Conservation campaigners led by local historian Tom Ridge protested outside Tower Hamlets Council when the inquiry opened this-morning.
They have been fighting a campaign—backed by Poplar & Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick—against the development by Trilion Property Group which included a spell in the High Court before Christmas.
Trilion maintains the Limehouse Cut conservation area declared by the council, which has stopped the development, was retrospective before any public consultation and after their planning application in 2009. So they went to the High Court—judgement is still to come.
Meanwhile, the public inquiry into the whole scheme runs for five days until Monday.
The conservationists have proposed ‘The Cut’ be use for a waterbus ‘ring’ route which would also include the River Lea, Hertford Union and Regent’s canals.
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