Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BORIS BLASTED OVER £1BILLION PLANNING ‘FIX’
He swung deal in 2016, say Labour
BORIS Johnson has been blasted for helping to kick-start a rich pal’s controversial £1billion flats plan.
The development sparked outrage three years later when the Tories approved it in time to save billionaire Richard Desmond £40million in taxes.
It was given the go-ahead in January by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, now fighting for his political life over the fallout. And it has emerged the PM himself took personal control of the original application while mayor of London in 2016.
John Biggs – mayor of the Tower Hamlets borough where the 1,500 homes are planned – said: “All roads in this affair lead back to Boris.
“The local community were against this project but Boris sidestepped us and took over the planning process.
“At the last election he told voters in ‘red wall’ seats his Government would be all for the little people but this shows what he has always been really all about: looking after rich friends.”
Former councillor Dave Chesterton added: “I remember Boris Johnson called it in very late with undignified haste. As far as the council were concerned it was a stitch-up.”
Mr Johnson approved the scheme during his last week as mayor. But developers submitted a new application for a bigger development.
This got the nod in January – a day before a new community levy, saving Mr Desmond an estimated £40million that could have funded schools, transport and hospitals. Correspondence
also shows Mr Jenrick agreed to drop affordable homes from the original plan. Mr Desmond, who is not accused of wrongdoing, donated £12,000 to the Tories 12 days later, sparking “cash for favours” claims.
Calling for an inquiry, Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed said: “The rot in this ‘cash for favours’ scandal started with Boris Johnson’s dodgy decision to give Desmond’s scheme the green light in 2016.”
Mr Johnson acted within legal guidelines allowing the Mayor to take over planning decisions where a development might have a “significant
The rot in this scandal started with dodgy decision by PM in 2016
STEVE REED SHADOW COMMUNITIES SECRETARY
impact” on planning in the capital or where there are “sound planning reasons” to justify intervention.
No 10 said: “The then mayor of London considered an application with due process and a fair hearing in 2016. All papers are in the public domain. Greater London Authority officers recommended approval.”
Mr Jenrick has said his decision was driven by a desire to build more homes and he had not known of the donation.
Mr Desmond, one of Britain’s richest men, sold Express Newspapers to Sunday Mirror owner Reach plc – in which he owns 8.6 per cent – in 2018.