Issue - meetings

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Deputy Mayor,

Councillor Alan Smith, the Cabinet agreed that the addition of No.7 & 8 Bell

Green gasholders to the Local List be approved.

The Head of Planning reported a late representation had been received from

the landowner’s agent raising various concerns about the scheme and the

potential effect on a pending planning application. In response she advised

the Cabinet that a local listing would be a consideration to be taken into

account when determining any application but that it did not preclude

development or ensure that the gasholders could not be removed.

Annabelle McLaren of the Sydenham Society addressed the Cabinet and said

a petition to save the gasholders had attracted 650 signatures. She outlined

the historical and architectural significance of the gasholders and urged that

they be listed. She was supported by Councillor Chris Best who believed the

gasholders to be an important  part of the area’s social and cultural heritage.

Councillor Best acknowledged that local listing would not prevent other

opportunities to uplift the locality.

In reply to the debate the Deputy Mayor stated that while the proposals had

the backing of the Cabinet, his personal background as an engineer led him to

conclude the steps to list a no longer fit for purpose piece of equipment was

unnecessary, especially as a similar structure had already been listed on the

Old Kent Road.

Having considered an officer report and presentations from the Sydenham

Soviety and by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Alan Smith, the Cabinet, for the

reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that the addition of No.7 & 8 Bell Green gasholders to the Local

List be approved.