SAVE given permission to challenge refusal to call in Paddington Cube scheme

SAVE Britain’s Heritage has been granted permission to challenge the Communities Secretary’s refusal to call in the Paddington Cube proposals for public inquiry.

The 'Paddington Cube' is a 19-storey, 54m-office tower proposal, adjacent to the Grade I listed Paddington Station and within the Bayswater Conservation Area.

Its construction would require the demolition of a former Royal Mail sorting office, a noted building of merit within the Conservation Area, the campaign group said.

SAVE is seeking to challenge Sajid Javid’s alleged failure to give reasons for not calling in the application.

The group was given permission by High Court judge Sir Ross Cranston. A judicial review is now expected to be heard within the next three months.

Henrietta Billings, Director of SAVE Britain's Heritage, said: “This challenge has potentially wide reaching implications - it goes to the heart of transparent and accountable government decision making. Ministerial decisions must stand up to robust scrutiny - the duty of government to give reasons for decisions is relevant to anyone involved with the planning system. We are pleased that this challenge will now proceed”.

According to SAVE, the Victorian Society and the Imperial College NHS Trust which operates St Mary's Paddington had also asked the Secretary of State to call in the application.

The minister turned down those requests in March 2017.

In December 2016, Westminster City Council’s Planning Committee granted planning permission for the project.