Dear all,

We have now made it past the 500 signature, which is fantastic news. However, time is running out! The decisive meeting is a week today and any written submissions need to be in by Thu noon.

One of the most useful things you can do now is email the councillors on the planning committee. You can find there contact details here: mgCommitteeMailingList and if you need some inspiration for a letter, we have copied one below.

We've also been featured in more local media, which is great news. Have a look at this link from London News Online and add your comments to the bottom of it: https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/residents-oppose-20-storey-tower-in-belmore-street-lambeth-which-would-provide-student-accommodation-to-lambeth-college/#respond

Tom on behalf of the Nine Elms Residents group

Dear Councillor,

The tower block (Block C) that is going through your planning process, proposed to South Bank University as part of the redevelopment of the Lambeth College Site, will be hugely detrimental to both the local and wider community.

It will blight the skyline for miles around, cast large shadows that will affect 100s for local houses and flats; it overlooks residential areas on all sides and sevearl children's play areas; the construction needed for such a high tower will cause a huge amount of disruption and very likely permanent damage to the fabric of local buildings and infrastructure.

The consultation process that the developers have run has, at best, been poor and, at worst, cynically difficult to navigate. For example, meeting venues have been chosen that are far away and/or difficult to get to. Notice of meetings has been short and several communications that the developers refer to have not occurred. Issues raised by local residents during the process (in meetings and through the over 120 formal objections made) have also not been dealt or been paid lip service only.

We are surprised and dismayed that the recommendation for next week's committee meeting is to grant permission. If nothing else, there has been very little time taken to study the large number of detailed objections made and no engagement with the affected communities.

We expect that you, as our democratic representatives, will ensure that the development of this unnecesary tower block, which has been added to this development only to serve the financial gain of South Bank University, will not be imposed on our local communities in the face of such huge local opposition.

Sincerely,