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The Demolition of the Market Pods – An Act of Vandalism

Hackney Gazette, 23 June 2018
 
The drama surrounding the threat to Gillett Square continues apace with over 1,500 new signatories in the past month to the Change.org petition to Save Gillett Square.

In particular there have now been some additions to the current planning application which concede that the plan involves the demolition of the market pods. 
To justify this act of vandalism it is now being claimed by the applicant Hackney Co-operative Developments (HCD) agents that the market pods were only built as a temporary measure and that they are in bad condition.

This is all completely untrue, but further reveals the disrespect and ignorance that permeates this current planning application.

The current plan is against LB Hackney’s own planning principles and its commitment of accountability to the views and needs of the local community.

This plan can easily be replaced by a much simpler non-damaging scheme that meets the LDA and HCD’s objectives for some increased affordable workspace and environmental improvements on this site. There is still time to object to LB Hackney as the committee hearing will not be before July 4.