Resident crowd funds legal action over permission for block of flats in historic area

A local resident has launched a crowd funding appeal to raise money to take Plymouth City Council to judicial review over a planning decision affecting the city’s historic Hoe area.

Martin Worrall has raised £1,800 towards his £5,000 target to bring the action through the Crowd Justice website.

He objects to the council having in November granted permission for a seven-storey block of 76 flats to replace a three‑storey care home.

“The block is a blatant over-development of a sensitive site in a sensitive area, and will set a very dangerous precedent for other sites on the Hoe,” Worrall said.

He argued that the project’s height and mass were excessive and that both Historic England and the leader of the council had said the maximum acceptable height should be five storeys.

Permission was granted despite objections from Historic England, the Georgian Group and the council’s historic environment officer, Worrall said.

Other objections include that some 250 people could live in the new block, but no financial contributions will be made to health, green space or education facilities and only 30% of homes will be affordable.

A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: “The council have been served with an application seeking permission to proceed with a claim for judicial review in connection with the council’s decision to grant  planning permission at Peirson House. The council are in the process of preparing its case and has no further comment to make at this time.”

Mark Smulian