Bishopsgate Goodsyard development snubbed by City Hall

Campaigners against the controversial £800 million redevelopment of the Bishopsgate Goodsyard in Shoreditch have welcomed a snub for the scheme from City Hall.

The London Borough of Hackney has opposed the joint scheme from developers Hammerson and Ballymore on grounds including a lack of affordable housing, lack of affordable workspace to encourage tech industries in the area, and the impact of tall new residential towers, planned to provide 1350 flats.

Concerns over the shadow of the towers was such that councillors — who had no say over the plans after Mayor Boris Johnson called in the scheme last year — launched a campaign warning of a “dark future” for Shoreditch.

The Greater London Authority’s staff have recommended the mayor reject the application at an open meeting on April 18.

A Hackney spokesman said: “We will be making representations at the public meeting next week and we welcome the fact that the GLA has re-echoed our concerns over the scheme.”

A “disappointed” Hammerson is committed to the Goodsyard — one of the capital’s largest sites — but is likely to redesign parts of the scheme.