Hello All

The deadline for comments about One Battersea Bridge - as stated by Wandsworth Council on its lamp post planning notices (to my knowledge, there is exactly ONE on the bridge) - passed yesterday (20th June).

However, I am delighted to confirm that the council will keep Comments OPEN. Phew!

I have been advised by a member of the planning application committee that they will welcome comments right up until this matter comes before the committee. Due to the election and summer, this will not be until September, at the earliest.

SO! Anyone out there who is still tickling up the prose of their Objection letter (or note of Support), you can still file it. I suggest you do it as soon as possible, before you get distracted by sunshine cocktails on your yacht. Post your comment here.

As of today, there are 637 Objections vs 29 in Support. I read every one of the 29 yesterday and counted at least eight that were suspiciously similar in style. They may even have been cut and pasted from text suggested by a developer. God forbid. Many others were distinctly confused about the issues and offered no credible reason for supporting OBB.

On the other hand, a great many of the Objection letters were highly detailed, balanced and erudite. The amount of negatives to this planning application is really quite staggering. In my humble opinion, I would say that Cerberus/Promontoria/Rockwell/Farrells have succeeded in scoring a clean sweep of negatives. Quite an achievement in itself.

In other news: I have written to Sir Norman Foster asking for a comment about the planning application in his capacity as a resident (we met recently, which led to a 'Robs Reel' that went a little bit "viral".) Sir Norman has a penthouse near OBB that will look across to the tower. I await a response from his office, but something tells me that he will not engage lightly. He is, after-all, an architect who has built a fair few towers in his time. Ahem.

I have also asked the RSPB to respond to concerns posted by many objectors that OBB poses a threat to the thousands of starlings that have roosted beneath Battersea Bridge for decades.

I often post briefer up-dates or news about this campaign on X. If you can face that, I can be found here. Or on Instagram here.

Please get typing and filing your Objections.

Regards

RMc