The Islington Green Party are demanding that Islington Council turns down the Arsenal Stadium proposals on the 10th December. Speaking ahead of the council meeting which will decide whether to give the arsenal plans the go ahead, Malcolm Powell of Islington Green Party stated that the severity of the amenity, employment, and environmental affects of the plans were totally unacceptable.
He went on to detail the Green Party's objections: "There are still huge problems with the proposals. The transport concerns of local residents have not been adequately addressed. There are 600 car parking spaces planned for the new stadium. This is not going to discourage people from travelling to the stadium by car. Match days already see widespread congestion in the borough and this will get far worse if the current plans go ahead."
"In addition the proposals represent key breaches of the Council's Unitary Development Plan. Ashburton Grove is a protected employment site, 80 businesses are at stake and over 2000 jobs directly threatened."
"The relocation of the waste transfer centre to Lough Road is causing widespread alarm as the centre would be too close to existing residential areas and, unlike the centre at Ashburton Grove, could not be served by rail."
"What is more the proposals will have severe ecological impacts. The extension to the Parkland walk, to which Islington Council is committed in its own Unitary Development Plan and for which it has already granted outline planning permission, would have to be abandoned. In one of the London boroughs with the least amount of green space this is just not acceptable."
Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, commented: "The stadium proposals represent the largest planning application that the borough has ever seen. They will have far reaching impacts across Islington and beyond. Given the numerous breaches of Islington's own Unitary Development Plan that the new stadium represents, it is crucial that the Government calls in this proposal for a full public inquiry."
Darren Johnson, leader of the Green Group on the Greater London Authority added:
"I have profound concerns about the impact these proposals will have on
the local community. Key concerns about traffic, employment and environmental
impact have simply not been adequately addressed. I will be urging the Mayor,
to veto Islington Council's decision, should they give the stadium the go ahead
on Monday."
ends
For further information contact:
Becky Whale 020 7407 6281 or
Malcolm Powell 020 7742 3982
Notes
A letter has been written by Jean Lambert to Stephen Byers asking for him 'call-in' plans for Arsenal Stadium.