PADDINGTON POLE PROPOSAL WITHDRAWN! VICTORY TO THE OBJECTORS IN THE FIRST ROUND

On Saturday morning the Skyline campaign was advised that a press release was being issued jointly by WCC and the developers, Sellar Group. You can read this on the website http://31londonstreet.co.uk/. The statement confirms that the current proposal for the Pole is being set aside, and that a new, lower proposal will be put forward in the near future, taking into account many of the objections of local residents. The Skyline Campaign's response is contained in the following press release: ------------------------------------------------------------------- S K Y L I N E C A M P A I G N For Immediate Release 30 January 2016 The Skyline Campaign is delighted by the news of the withdrawal of the planning application for the 72-storey Paddington Pole. This follows weeks of ¬¬¬intense campaigning that proved conclusively that this scale and type of insensitive, incongruous development is totally unwelcome, not only in the immediate local area, but across London as a whole. The Skyline Campaign welcomes the fact that the Developer and Westminster Council intend to work closely with local residents and others. It will continue to monitor the new proposals. We hope that this new awareness will lead the way to a city-wide, comprehensive debate, and to a thorough re-examination of London’s overall strategy for tall buildings. The city’s world-class, unique character must be preserved at all costs for future generations. We are risking destroying forever views and settings, for all the wrong reasons - if we do not put an end to it, our legacy will be regretted for evermore. The present, compelling need for densification must and can be achieved without resorting to towers that damage the existing context, and create a “generic” skyline and environment. It must now be our mission to explore all alternatives available, and invest London’s best resources in creating an even better, more successful city, that relies on its past and looks to the future. Barbara Weiss Co-Founder Skyline Campaign bw@barbaraweissarchitects.com 07973 340 737 ------------------------------------------------------------------ This is, sadly, NOT the end of the story. There is a lot more we need to fight for in order to achieve what we want for Paddington's future, and for London's future. In the meantime however we would like to thank you all for the incredible support to date, and ask you to continue to support us through the next stages. Please persist in spreading the word about our Campaign, and get more and more people to sign. We will be back in touch when there is more news to report. THANK YOU - TO ALL OF YOU Skyline Campaign