Blears blows whistle on tower that Boris backed

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save London's skyline today won a major victory after the Government ordered an inquiry into the Ealing "penny whistle".

Communities and Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears stepped in at the 11th hour to halt the scheme amid concerns it is still too big.

The move is a blow to London Mayor Boris Johnson, who backed the plan despite promising to fight suburban towers when he ran for election.

It is also embarrassing for planning officers at Ealing council, who granted permission for the scheme in December after the tower was cut from 40 storeys to 25.

Residents said it was a major victory for the protection of London's views.

Will French, of the Save Ealing's Centre campaign, said: "Even the redesign [of the tower] was too much. It would have been built in a conservation area, demolishing a lot of historic buildings and will completely overshadow the local green.

"We had been hoping Boris Johnson would stop the plans after what he said in the run-up to the elections."

Developer Glenkerrin enraged residents by releasing plans for a 143metre tower - designed by Lord Foster and dubbed "the penny whistle" because of its shape - next to Ealing Broadway Tube station.

Glenkerrin withdrew Lord Foster's original scheme last April following criticism by government conservation and design watchdogs.

It cut the height of the tower to 86 metres and the number of homes from 704 to 567. But residents argue the new one is chunkier than the original, while only 79 of the flats will be "affordable". The affordable element includes social, rented and shared-equity apartments.

The overall scheme will also involve the demolition of a nearby site and its replacement with six buildings. These will include Ealing Place, with space for shops and restaurants; New Square, with shops and flats; and Haven Green, three nine-storey buildings for residential accommodation.

The overall development will include 18,642sqm of retail space, 1,861sqm of leisure and 490sqm of office space.

The inquiry will start in June and a decision is expected in late autumn. The development could either be approved again, rejected or approved subject to modifications.

Green Party London Assembly member Darren Johnson said: "This scheme was neither in the right place nor was it environmentally friendly, so this is a good thing for the environment and London's skyline.

"Boris Johnson had the opportunity to object but didn't."

Director of the London School of Economics Tony Travers said: "Recently there has been greater concern about town centres, therefore this decision is actually quite unsurprising. Towers such as Centre Point can actually look quite beautiful on their own, but not in Ealing."

A spokeswoman for Ealing council said: "We await the public inquiry with interest.

"As is normal practice, the council will attend and present information about its planning policies to assist in the decision making process."

A spokesman from Glenkerrin said: "We hope for speedy determination by the Planning Inspectorate so that we can press ahead with delivering our plans."

Size matters: how other proposed towers shape up

Parliament House, Lambeth

Proposals for 23-storey, 77m building with commercial space and 100 flats have been provisionally agreed by Lambeth council, but could still be objected to by Boris Johnson, with concerns over the height.

Victoria Transport Interchange

The £1billion scheme for six acres of land around Victoria station was given the go-ahead by Westminster council this month, but could be called in by Hazel Blears. The project will create more than 203 flats. The tallest of the six structures will be 87m.

Heart of Battersea Towers (Clapham Junction skyscrapers)

Two 170m towers with 500 homes near Clapham Junction. Planning application to come to committee in next few months.

Ram Brewery, Wandsworth

Plans for the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth were approved by Wandsworth council in December. They will create more than 1,000 homes. There will be two towers, the tallest 145m and nine other blocks.