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Simon Bevan
Director of Planning
Chief Executive’s Department
5th Floor, Hub 4
Southwark Council
PO Box 64529
London, SE1P 5LX
Friday 17th August 2018

Dear Simon,

Re: New Southwark Plan Proposed Submitted Version

At our meeting with yourself and Councillors Johnson Situ and Leo Pollak on
Weds 8th August we were promised two immediate letters (for Thursday 9th
August) on the new ‘Consultation Charter’ which were to set out how the council
are now setting about re-framing developer-community consultation / a new era
of meaningful engagement. These letters (from Cllr Situ) arrived on Friday 10th
setting out how a joint pre-app outline masterplan is in progress (ahead of any
public consultation / engagement) and giving mention of a future social
regeneration charter for St Thomas Street. We responded immediately by email
(to which you were copied in) asking for clarity on ‘meaningful consultation’ and
have had no response to date.

At the meeting we were also informed of the imminent reversal of the Council’s
policy on a Local List. We look forward to seeing the details of the new proposal
in September.

Given the delay to the NSP (with submission to an inspector not expected for at
east 8-12 months) please will you confirm if the council will now also be
taking the opportunity to make the NSP compliant with the London Plan
and the NPPF both in respect of Policy 14: Tall Buildings and Site
Allocations NSP52 and 53?

The changes recommended in our attached representations on the NSP echo

widespread calls from across the Borough. They were also submitted in the
formal consultation in February. We would like to note that after the meeting you
were also going to confirm when you expect to be allowing at least a summary of
the responses received to be made public.

In conjunction with the work that your department are now/shortly undertaking on
both the borough wide Local List and the Consultation Charter it would seem
impossible for any new engagement or consultation to avoid the consideration of
specific and clearly located height limits for tall buildings across the borough – let
alone in sites as important as those covered by NSP 52 and 53. Please confirm
you accept this and will be addressing the matters accordingly.

We look forward to hearing from you on these important matters.

Yours Sincerely,

Toby O’Connor

cc. Johnson Situ

Leo Pollak
Peter John
Juliemma McLaughlin Chief Planner, GLA