Latham's Yard: Taylor Wimpey breach planning control

Back in March we posted a blog about Taylor Wimpey applying to build more apartments on the Latham's Yard site (see Latham's Yard). It submitted two applications for:- 

2011/0569: Waterfront House, Harry Zeital Way, Hackney, London E5 9RQ: Change of use of part of the ground floor part of the first floor from restaurant to 6 residential units. 

2011/0566: Bock 5 Lathams Yard Theydon Road Hackney E5 9BQ: Construction of a part three, part four storey building consisting of retail/financial and professional services/cafe and restaurant floor space on part ground and part first floor; light industrial/office floor space on part ground, part first and part second floor and 10 residential units on part second and third floor.

In June, Taylor Wimpey advised Latham's Yard residents that the two applications had been approved by LB Hackney and that this included enabling the Sales office on Mount Pleasant Hill (that had been left empty for months with kids dangerously climbing onto the flat roof to play) to re-open.

Later that month, when we queried this with LB Hackney, we were advised no planning application had been granted. A few days later, Taylor Wimpey decided to withdraw both applications, indicating it would re-submit sometime soon.

Since then we have raised the issue of the empty Sales Office with both Taylor Wimpey and LB Hackney. Permission for this was given on a temporary basis which expired in January. 

The plans that were approved for the site indicated this area would then become a green space. We think it is time this happened and wrote to LB Hackney's enforcement team last month to complain about the breach of planning consent.  The enforcment team have confirmed a planning enforcement investigation has been opened to seek to remedy this breach of planning control. We'll keep you informed of developments.