Star Trek captain wins battle with council

Residents of houseboats moored on the south bank of the Thames near Tower Bridge have won their battle against eviction by Southwark council following a last-minute intervention by science fiction hero Patrick Stewart.

The long-running dispute between the boat residents and people living in a nearby block of riverside flats came to a head when the council was persuaded to bring proceedings on the basis that the moorings had fallen foul of planning rules.

Hope seemed to fade until they discovered that the Hollywood star owned one of the ?1 million flats and was prepared to fight their corner.

Recruited to the campaign, Stewart agreed to speak up after they challenged the council's enforcement action at a public inquiry. The science fiction icon, whose most famous role was as Star Trek's Captain Jean Luc Picard, told the inquiry that he considered the moorings, the boats and their colourful occupants to be a benefit, not a problem.

He had searched the river for a place to live all the way between Canary Wharf and Vauxhall, but found most of it to be "sterile and lacking any life".

He said: "I chose a flat in Tempus Wharf, overlooking the Downings Road moorings, because I like the diversity and liveliness of the boats.

"The converted wharf was once used to store goods, and now houses people. It makes sense for the historic moorings to now support a residential community".

The triumphant boat owners, whose homes were described as an "eyesore" by objecting residents, were delighted to have saved their 100-year heritage.

Moorings owner and architect Nicholas Lacey said: "It is a great pity that we have been put through this long and stressful ordeal which could have been better resolved by negotiations. But the council planners insisted on taking enforcement action, and thank goodness in the end the inspector supported our case."

Stewart, 62, who is believed to be worth ?20 million, has established a successful career away from the Starship Enterprise with his appearance in hit film The X-Men. He now lives in Bermondsey.