In an unexpected move, Westminster's planning department has recommended councillors to accept Westbrook's controversial plans for the development of Dolphin Square.

A 90-page document setting out their reasons has been posted on the Westminster planning portal and will be considered by the city's major applications sub-committee on Tuesday, 4th June.

The agenda for the meeting, which begins at 6.30pm in City Hall, lists a total of five schemes for consideration which implies that the councillors are simply required to "rubber-stamp" the recommendation which has been a complaint of many Westminster residents in the past.

The planners give scant regard to the more than 170 objections posted on the planning portal against the plans and  follow word for word the advice of Westbrook's planning consultants, DP9, particularly their description of Rodney House and their justification for its demolition.

The legal implications of the hotel use within Rodney House and the massive increase in ultra short-term lettings which will result from the development is not considered and the minimal affordable housing offer made by Westbrook has been accepted without interrogation of the financial facts disclosed in publicly available information.

Concerns of local residents about the adverse effects on the Pimlico community and the surrounding conservation areas is ignored and residents' comments about the increased density, which is well beyond historic limits, have been dismissed.

Vital issues raised by Tfl, which has questioned the transport infrastructure, and Thames Water, which states there is insufficient water supply and sewage capacity, have been glossed over in the planners' report and no legal requirements have been put in place to deal with these very real concerns.

In a document posted at the same time on the planning portal, ward councillor, Angela Harvey, strongly supports the plans which she has promoted since the development scheme was first mooted around three years ago.

In contrast, ward councillors Jim Glen and James Spencer, have strongly opposed the plans on relevant planning grounds and will speak out against the scheme  at the meeting on 4th June.

We urge all who feel strongly about these plans to write urgently to the members of the major applications sub-committee making clear the level of local opposition. We expect our councillors to support the community and we believe that this is the entitlement of local residents.

The councillors who will decide on this application are:-

Cllr Gotz Mahindra (Chairman)  Con  gmohindra@westminster.gov.uk

Cllr David Boothroyd Lab   dboothroyd@westminster.gov.uk

Cllr Geoff Barraclough Lab  gbarraclough@westminster.gov.uk

Cllr Murad Gassanly Con   mgassanly@westminster.gov.uk

Cllr Elizabeth Hitchcock Con   ehitchcock@westminster.gov.uk

Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting at City Hall and support the ward councillors, Jim Glen and James Spencer, together with any other speakers opposing these plans.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE THIS PETITION TO YOUR FRIENDS AND OTHERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND WHATSAPP.

THANK YOU!