Agenda item

Salisbury Square

A Member asked if there were any pertinent points arising from the process or outcome of the Judicial Review of the Salisbury Square development of which the Committee should be made aware.

The Chairman commented that the City Corporation had successfully defended their planning decision on the Salisbury Square development from a Judicial Review, and the Court of Appeal had subsequently rejected an application for an appeal. The Chairman added that this was an excellent outcome and gave thanks to the Planning and Legal teams for their work on this, the officer’s report having been singled out for particular praise which was testament to the amount of work that had gone in.

Riverside Walk

A Member commented that the new hotel development on the Riverside in Queenhithe Ward had transformed the area and had been a very positive development, but areas around the development were still blocked, despite a lack of ongoing activity. The Member therefore asked for an update on this. The Executive Director of Environment responded that a site visit was scheduled for Thursday that week to review progress. Whilst officers appreciated the frustrations at the delays, they were confident that the matter was close to resolution and would pick up any outstanding actions as a matter of urgency and confirm a timeframe for completion following the site visit.

Road Signage in Princes Street

A Member raised the road signage at Princes Street, advising that the signage for a vehicle entering Princes Street from the north, turning around and travelling back northwards appeared to be contradictory, which would inhibit access to Grocer’s Hall. The Executive Director of Environment responded that this matter had been raised elsewhere and a full response was being prepared. Officers believed the signage to be accurate but were reviewing it to ensure it was sufficiently clear and appropriate. The Chairman of the Streets & Walkways Sub Committee added that this matter could be monitored by the Sub Committee going forward.

Crossrail

A Member asked whether there would be City Corporation involvement in the launch of Crossrail the following week, the organisation having been significantly involved in the project. The Chairman replied that he, the Lord Mayor and the Chairman of Policy & Resources had a programme surrounding the launch on Tuesday 24 May, including use of the service from Farringdon. The Chairman added that he hoped there would be lots of coverage, which would include a press release by the City Corporation setting out the organisation’s involvement in the project, and that he looked forward to seeing usage statistics, which would be reported through the usual channels.