Representation by The Galley Hill Partnership (The Galley Hill Partnership)
- Date submitted
- 30 March 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Gardia Limited (Co. Regn. No 3865810) of [, [] and Patricia Ann Flanagan of [] trading as The Galley Hill Partnership, holds the freehold ownership of the Galley Hill Industrial Estate. The Galley Hill Industrial Estate falls within the Development Consent Order red-line, comprising plot numbers []. All interests and rights in Galley Hill Industrial Estate are currently identified to be acquired through the Development Consent Order (DCO). It is identified as required for works number 10b (London Resort Academy). As a relevant interested party, our client requests the Planning Inspectorate to remove the Galley Hill Industrial Estate from the DCO red line. A summary of the reasons are set out below: 1) The Galley Hill Partnership land is not required to deliver the scheme as the academy can be delivered elsewhere on the project site, such as within the staff accommodation within plot 250, or within the main project site. Until recently, the promoter had confirmed that the Galley Hill Industrial Estate was not required to deliver the Project, and the DCO documents do not explain why this has changed. 2) The economic benefits of the project are not sufficiently sizeable nor certain to justify compulsory acquisition, particularly when balanced against the likely loss of existing jobs and businesses at Galley Hill Industrial Estate. In addition, our client requests the removal of the Galley Hill Industrial Estate from the DCO red line as expediently as possible as there is a real risk that our client’s property will continue to be blighted by the Scheme but that the Scheme will never be delivered, or delivery will be significantly delayed. We consider the following key factors are likely to prevent or delay delivery: 3) The funding statement does not provide confirmation that the promoter has the funding available to deliver the project including the costs of land acquisition following confirmation of the DCO, and therefore does not comply with the DCO requirements and guidance. 4) The designation of large areas of the project site as a Site of Special Scientific Interest by Natural England further reduces the chances of the project being delivered. This representation summarises our client’s initial views on the DCO application. Our client reserves the right to produce further evidence on these points once the Examination commences and in accordance with the Examination timetable.