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St Mark's Church |
St Mark’s campaigners’ anger at fencing appeal by Church
THE Church of England has angered campaigners fighting to save a Mayfair church from developers after it emerged it has appealed against a council order to pull down fencing outside the building.
Members of the Save St Mark’s Action Group blasted the Church for erecting the temporary fence outside the Grade I-listed church in North Audley Street without obtaining planning permission.
Following opposition, Westminster Council issued the Diocese of London with an enforcement notice to scrap the fence. The diocese has in the past claimed the fence was a security measure.
It won approval for permanent iron gates in June but was told that the temporary fence structure must go.
The campaign group, led by supermarket heiress Lady Sainsbury, persuaded the council to throw out plans to turn the church into a health spa earlier this year. But the diocese and developer George Hammer have forced a public inquiry into the decision, due to be heard next month. The diocese plans to enter a lease agreement with Mr Hammer.
Kirk Mitchell from Save St Mark’s said: “We are told that Hammer Holdings Ltd is completing shortly with or without planning permission, so why go to the extra expense now of making an appeal? It’s London diocesan fund’s money down the drain. If the diocese want to invest some money, they should be spending it on helping the homeless and fixing the roof.”
A diocese spokesman said the council had granted planning permission for permanent gates and added: “It is anticipated that the new gates will be installed before the planning inspector considers this matter. The temporary gates will be removed once this has happened. We were surprised at the council’s subsequent objection to the temporary fence given the agreements the diocese had made with them on this matter.” To suggest the diocese was not complying with the wishes of the council was “extremely misleading”. |
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