Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB Published:5 December 2008
Skyscraper a ‘really bad decision’
LEISURE chief Ruth Polling has called on the Town Hall to write a joint letter to communities secretary Hazel Blears in disgust at her decision to allow a 39-storey skyscraper to be built in Old Street.
Councillor Polling, who represents Bunhill ward, submitted a motion to last night’s (Thursday’s) full council meeting asking the council to write to Ms Blears “to express our disgust at her ignoring local residents in making her decision”.
Cllr Polling’s wrath comes after Ms Blears overruled Islington’s own planning committee last month to give the go-ahead to a huge Manhattan-style skyscraper overlooking City Road, Featherstone Street and Old Street.
Cllr Polling said this week: “The point is to have a formal record of the council’s upset. We also want to put on record our belief that local planning applications are best done at local level.”
She added: “What frustrates me the most is that I’m sure Hazel Blears just saw it as the City but it’s not the City.
“I feel a really bad decision has been made by someone who doesn’t understand the local area. I want her to understand how much damage she has done to the community.”