Nǐ hǎo Fellow Campaigners

It is with great pleasure that I welcome the latest revolutionary to our ranks. Please give a warm gongshou to the mighty, inter-global property developer Hutchinson Whampoa.

I will take a moment before writing the next sentence, to allow your jaws to rise up from the polished concrete floor and for your eyes to stop rolling.

Yes, our fearless new campaigner is none other than the brains and money behind Chelsea Waterfront. Erm, yes, the developer that has spent the past 20+ years championing, and then building, the two vast towers (35 and 25 storeys, folks) you see on the skyline by the Lots Road Power Station (It's now The Powerhouse. Do keep up. Ed). 

Yes, you're right: them there towers designed by Farrells that were called - laughably, according to some cynics - "two dancers in the sky" by Sir Tel' himself. Um, yes, that'll be the same Farrells company behind the One Battersea Bridge design. (Worth noting that Hutchinson also built Montevetro, so they have had plenty of skin out of the high-rise property game locally during the past 30 years)

Anyway, far be it from me to tease anyone who sees the errors of their own building ways in the pursuit of supporting a worthy cause. I am delighted that Hutchinson oppose this new development. The full two page letter from Bryan Adams, Chief Project Manager at Hutchinson's UK operation, can be read here. He really is not overly impressed with Rockwell's work, planning, or design.

It might just be possible that the only reason Hutchinson has lodged its hissy rebuke to the planning application made by property cartel Cerberus/Promontoria/Rockwell/Farrells is because its London HQ is in Hester Road - and because the company built, owns and manages Albion Riverside. The residents there are far from happy at the prospect of OBB taking their view and sunlight, let alone the havoc brought to their doorsteps during years of construction. Just imagine having all that noisy, polluting building work outside your home. Oh, hang on, I can.

This may well be the most towering example of NIMBYism to have landed from such a great height.

With all that said, I still eagerly await to hear from Sir Norman Foster...

Regards

RMc

*A loyal supporter asked me earlier today: "What's NIMBYism when it's at home?" Sorry if I have confused any other folk who happen to live under a stone. It stands for Not In My Back Yard - as in someone who is against something only because it affects them directly and would not give a toss if it was happening to someone else. 

Obviously, I am not saying that the dunderhead who asked me was in fact top hair stylist and author Paula Chilton, but this seems a good time to direct you to her books!