Accident happened while developer carried out work without planning consent

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Author: Cyril Richert

Lorry fell into ditch - Credit: Wandsworth Guardian
Lorry fell into ditch – Credit: @wandbc

The Wandsworth Guardian reported on Friday 27 November that a cement mixer crashed into the Alchemist/Fishmonger worksite ditch in St John’s Hill Battersea, bursting a gas mains and forcing emergency services to evacuate the area. The driver is said to have walked out of the lorry.

The Alchemist pub, located at 225 St John’s Hill, was nearly totally demolished last month, without planning consent (story HERE and THERE).

In July, Planning chairman Cllr Sarah McDermott said:

“The enforcement notice is finalised and will be hand delivered this week. The notice requires the property to be re-built in facsimile.“

A search of the Planning Explorer shows no current planning applications and two enforcement notices, one of them closed, the other describe the alleged breach as Extensive demolishing work in Conservation area without consent:

2015 0313 ENF
Description of Alleged Breach
Extensive demolishing work in Conservation area without consent

The Wandsworth Society, watching closely the case, said:

“Whether or not the current works are in breach of enforcement notices it is our view that any works being carried out on the site do not have planning permission. We understand that the building owner claims to have implemented the approved application ref 2009/2994 by commencing work within three years of its approval on 11 January 2010. We would like to know what evidence there is that an effective start on the works was made within the time limit imposed by the condition attached to the approval. If the building owner is unable to provide such evidence then the 2010 planning permission will have lapsed.

We would like to know what action the Council is taking to deal with the unlawful demolition earlier this year (May / June) of the former Fishmongers’ Arms.

Is the Council satisfied that any work presently being carried out has planning permission?

Is there an enforcement notice requiring the building owner to rebuild the front elevation of the building in its original form?”

We are waiting for some response from Wandsworth Council.

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CJI editor and Clapham Junction Action Group co-founder and coordinator since 2008, Cyril has lived in Clapham Junction since 2001.
He is also funder and CEO of Habilis-Digital Ltd, a digital agency creating and managing websites and Internet solutions.

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