Well done Sadiq Khan for taking the correct decision to refuse a development previously approved by the London Legacy Development Corporation (“LLDC”).
MSG Sphere would have been a completely inappropriate eyesore, crowd management risk for Stratford Station and, significantly, “a whacking great advertising screen”.
Congratulations to all who rigorously opposed this development. Newham representatives Rachel Tripp and James Beckles voted against the development at the LLDC, as did all elected representatives (i.e the councillors from Hackney and Tower Hamlets too), but were outvoted by appointees.
Former Newham councillor Julianne Marriott should be credited for correctly identifying, at an earlier crucial Newham Council planning committee meeting, the purest capitalist raison d’etre of the entire project. Credit also goes to the Stop MSG Sphere campaign, Newham Cyclists, local MP Lyn Brown and many others.
The empty site is in the ward currently represented by Green Councillors on Newham Council who are obviously claiming their part of the credit.
The Labour Party could more easily rubbish the Greens’ claims had Newham Council’s Labour Group not engaged in the most bizarre antics talking out motions that would lead to a clear demonstration of cross-party unity against MSG Sphere on the Council.
Newham 65 