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| Thames garden bridge faces last-ditch challenge from local politicians | Thames garden bridge faces last-ditch challenge from local politicians |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The controversial plan for a garden bridge across the Thames in London faces a last-minute challenge after politicians representing the south side of the structure launched an appeal to veto the scheme. | The controversial plan for a garden bridge across the Thames in London faces a last-minute challenge after politicians representing the south side of the structure launched an appeal to veto the scheme. |
| The MP for the area where the £175m project will fall, along with three local councillors and two members of the London assembly, have written a joint letter urging the housing trust responsible to block the plans. | The MP for the area where the £175m project will fall, along with three local councillors and two members of the London assembly, have written a joint letter urging the housing trust responsible to block the plans. |
| The intervention - which comes ahead of a key panning meeting on Tuesday that will set last pre-work planning conditions - places pressure on Coin Street Community Builders, which has held part of the South Bank site on a long-term lease since the 1980s, and whose permission is seen as the final major step before work on the bridge can start. | |
| Related: How Joanna Lumley charmed ‘dear Boris’ to back her garden bridge dream | Related: How Joanna Lumley charmed ‘dear Boris’ to back her garden bridge dream |
| The letter, to be sent on Monday, says the six representatives are “wholly unconvinced that a bridge in the location proposed and at huge cost to the public purse should be supported by those of us whose primary responsibility is accountability to the people we have been elected to serve”. | The letter, to be sent on Monday, says the six representatives are “wholly unconvinced that a bridge in the location proposed and at huge cost to the public purse should be supported by those of us whose primary responsibility is accountability to the people we have been elected to serve”. |
| There is no justification for contributing £60m of public money for the scheme in various forms, argue Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall, the three Lambeth councillors for the riverside Bishop’s ward, and two members of the London assembly, Tom Copley and Fiona Twycross. | There is no justification for contributing £60m of public money for the scheme in various forms, argue Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall, the three Lambeth councillors for the riverside Bishop’s ward, and two members of the London assembly, Tom Copley and Fiona Twycross. |
| The bridge, initially devised by actor Joanna Lumley, would span 367 metres from the South Bank to Temple on the north side of the river and feature 270 trees and thousands of plants. It is billed by its supporters as a green “gift” to the city, as well as being a pedestrian transport link between the increasingly busy banks of the Thames. | The bridge, initially devised by actor Joanna Lumley, would span 367 metres from the South Bank to Temple on the north side of the river and feature 270 trees and thousands of plants. It is billed by its supporters as a green “gift” to the city, as well as being a pedestrian transport link between the increasingly busy banks of the Thames. |
| Opponents argue it is a little-needed frippery on a stretch of the river already well served with crossings, and impractical for transport given existing heavy crowds on the South Bank, the bridge’s many rules and its closure overnight and for occasional corporate events. | Opponents argue it is a little-needed frippery on a stretch of the river already well served with crossings, and impractical for transport given existing heavy crowds on the South Bank, the bridge’s many rules and its closure overnight and for occasional corporate events. |
| The main controversy has focused on the funding, amid lean times for most infrastructure and leisure projects. The Treasury has given £30m, a sum matched by Transport for London (TfL). The Garden Bridge Trust, which is behind the project, is raising the remaining £115m from private donors, £30m of which has yet to be found. | The main controversy has focused on the funding, amid lean times for most infrastructure and leisure projects. The Treasury has given £30m, a sum matched by Transport for London (TfL). The Garden Bridge Trust, which is behind the project, is raising the remaining £115m from private donors, £30m of which has yet to be found. |
| Work is nonetheless scheduled to begin soon, with most initial planning consents granted by Lambeth and Westminster councils. Lambeth has issued the formal lease modification allowing Coin Street to give the green light. | Work is nonetheless scheduled to begin soon, with most initial planning consents granted by Lambeth and Westminster councils. Lambeth has issued the formal lease modification allowing Coin Street to give the green light. |
| Coin Street has argued it has little choice but go along with the views of elected supporters of the bridge, including central government, London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, and the councils. | Coin Street has argued it has little choice but go along with the views of elected supporters of the bridge, including central government, London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, and the councils. |
| The letter notes this, but argues the housing group should listen to the views of the local representatives. Coin Street must “do all in your power to resist any attempts by the mayor or his supporters in government to force the garden bridge on the people of Waterloo and London”, it argues. | The letter notes this, but argues the housing group should listen to the views of the local representatives. Coin Street must “do all in your power to resist any attempts by the mayor or his supporters in government to force the garden bridge on the people of Waterloo and London”, it argues. |
| Related: London garden bridge users to have mobile phone signals tracked | Related: London garden bridge users to have mobile phone signals tracked |
| Coin Street is owned by its own residents, many of whom are known to be worried about giving permission for the scheme. | Coin Street is owned by its own residents, many of whom are known to be worried about giving permission for the scheme. |
| All the politicians involved are Labour, illustrating a significant political split on the issue for the party. | All the politicians involved are Labour, illustrating a significant political split on the issue for the party. |
| In September last year the project appeared in jeopardy after Labour-led Lambeth pulled out of talks about the bridge over the planned £60m in grants, with the party’s candidate in May’s mayoral election, Sadiq Khan, also against it. But five weeks later both reversed their stance after TfL changed its £30m grant into a 50-year loan to the Garden Bridge Trust. | In September last year the project appeared in jeopardy after Labour-led Lambeth pulled out of talks about the bridge over the planned £60m in grants, with the party’s candidate in May’s mayoral election, Sadiq Khan, also against it. But five weeks later both reversed their stance after TfL changed its £30m grant into a 50-year loan to the Garden Bridge Trust. |
| The Coin Street trust said it could not comment before the letter was received. | The Coin Street trust said it could not comment before the letter was received. |
| A spokeswoman for the Garden Bridge Trust said it “enjoys widespread support across the capital”. She said: “The acquisition of the Coin Street land is an essential part of the trust’s plans for the south landing site. We are involved in detailed discussions with Lambeth council and Coin Street Community Builders and we are confident that an agreement will be reached soon.” | A spokeswoman for the Garden Bridge Trust said it “enjoys widespread support across the capital”. She said: “The acquisition of the Coin Street land is an essential part of the trust’s plans for the south landing site. We are involved in detailed discussions with Lambeth council and Coin Street Community Builders and we are confident that an agreement will be reached soon.” |