SAVE Britain's Heritage has been given leave to judicially review the Secretary of State over the Paddington Cube - a proposed 19-storey office block within the Bayswater Conservation Area. The hearing is set to take place in the High Court on the 1st November, and we are fundraising towards our legal costs.

SAVE’s judicial review focuses on the Secretary of State’s refusal to call-in for public inquiry the west London proposal, particularly his refusal to give reasons for his decision not to intervene. 

This challenge has potentially wide reaching implications - it goes to the heart of transparent and accountable government decision making. SAVE considers 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.

The scheme, approved by Westminster City Council in August, would see the demolition of a handsome former Edwardian Royal Mail sorting office and its replacement by a 19-storey office block in the Bayswater Conservation Area, right next to Brunel’s grade I listed Paddington Station. 

The Paddington Cube proposals are not only controversial because of heritage concerns. In September 2017, the Imperial College NHS Trust issued its own separate Judicial Review challenge seeking to quash the planning permission. This is based on major concerns about blue-light emergency access to the hospital if the plans are implemented in their current form.

SAVE, the Victorian Society and the Imperial College NHS Trust which operates nearby St Mary's Paddington each asked the Secretary of State to call in the application for an independent public inquiry. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid turned down those requests in March 2017.

SAVE’s fundraising appeal is for our legal costs associated with this challenge. Our target is £2,500. 

Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage said: “SAVE is fighting this challenge in the High Courts, not only because we believe the Paddington Cube demolition proposals rip up so-called Conservation Area protection written into legislation, but because this case highlights an important principle in accountable government and transparent decision making. What does the government have to hide?”

Marcus Binney, Executive President of SAVE said: "Hugely controversial and damaging proposals such as the Paddington Cube must be subject to full open scrutiny and discussion at a public inquiry.  Instead they were decided by a cabal of just four councillors. The Minister's refusal to give a single reason for his refusal to hold an inquiry favours property interests over the legitimate concerns of London's citizens."

To find out more about SAVE and our work, please see our website: https://www.savebritainsheritage.org/