Home > Publications > Selected cases— Parliamentary > Selected Cases and Summaries of Completed Investigations: April 2001 to September 2001 > Case No. C.664/01
Selected Cases and Summaries of Completed Investigations
PCA 6th Report – Session 2001-2002
Chapter 2
GOVERNMENT OFFICE FOR LONDON
Allegation that inappropriate intervention in the planning process led to the demise of a planning application
In April 1999 a company promoting an international arts centre (the company) submitted a planning application to the local planning authority to build, amongst other things, the arts centre and a cinema. (Ms O’s architectural practice was involved in developing the project.) On 3 February 2000 Ms O discussed the project with the Government Office for London’s (GOL’s) London Development Unit, who were organisationally separate from the Planning Division. The official heading the unit had, Ms O said, indicated that the cinema would cause local and national planning difficulties, and that the cinema operators were unacceptable commercial partners for the project. Ms O said that the official had also said that if the local planning authority resolved to grant planning permission, he would ensure the application was called in by the Secretary of State, unless the cinema operators were excluded. A meeting the next day between Ms O and others indicated that the company faced serious difficulties on many fronts including planning permission and funding. On 28 February the then Member (and company director) told Ms O that the project was no longer a possibility. The planning application was later withdrawn before the local planning authority had formally considered it. The Ombudsman was unable to establish precisely what the official had said on 3 February, but concluded that even if he had commented as alleged, it would still have been for the Planning Division to advise Ministers on the question of a call in, and for Ministers to take the decision.
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