Examination of Witnesses (Questions 3880
- 3899)
3880. MR HORTON: "Two of these,
A and B, will permit an additional Crossrail station at Whitechapel",
and then the next sentence: "no specific design has been
developed for the station", and then the next paragraph:
"Alignments B and C would pass below known piled buildings
and proposed developments just east of Bishopsgate. A planning
application has recently been submitted but subsequently withdrawn
for a site including Stone House and Staple Hall. This site is
directly over the westbound tunnel of Alignment B. A further site
immediately to the south is subject to a proposed 50-storey office
development directly over the westbound tunnel of Alignment C
that is almost entirely outside the limit of land subject to consultation
in the Crossrail safeguarding direction. The Crossrail project
has already indicated that it does not wish to comment on this
planning application. Currently this application has been `called
in'. For these reasons neither of these alignments has been considered
in any detail". I do not know whether that corresponds to
the explanation given orally to the Committee but, as I understand
it, seven years ago actually, that is why these alignments were
at the outset not taken further.
3881. CHAIRMAN: That may well be said,
but I think you are asking us to do something about it and what
happened about these developments?
3882. MR HORTON: Not today I am not.
I am avoiding that territory as I keep emphasising. All I am pointing
out to you is what, I hope, is a helpful way of identifying how
long ago this decision was taken is. For reasons given there,
which will not surprise you I am sure, this Petitioner would,
if he were ever given the opportunity, argue that at any rate
in relation to Alignment B those were not good reasons for not
considering that alignment, but I am not asking you to grapple
with that this morning, although that is the Petitioner's view,
so I am instructed. What I am pointing out is this is the way
that lacuna, as I call it, can operate. The Promoter early on
finds an alignment, identifies a reason right or wrong for not
considering it, therefore is able to say, "It is not a main
alternative, we never took it further, we haven't studied it and
that is the end of the matter".
3883. CHAIRMAN: Mr Horton, I am not so
sure. I would have thought that what you are saying to this Committee
is that we ought to do something about it today in 2008. For instance,
we might push to recommend to the House that it goes back over
the question of the EIA because only the House itself can be judge
of this and we would therefore, if we are going to take that course,
need to know what the factual situation is today. Maybe you are
going to deal with that tomorrow?
3884. MR HORTON: Yes, if you will allow
me to.
3885. CHAIRMAN: Certainly by all means
but can you not tell us whether these buildings will in fact have
been given planning permission and been built?
3886. MR ELVIN: The one that is referred
to is the Heron Tower which is under construction.
3887. MR HORTON: I know that. I am told
that Alignment B is not an alignment which suffers from being
under pile foundations to an extent which would warrant not examining
it further, but that is what I am told. Then tomorrow, if I am
allowed to, I am instructed because the various organisations
of Spitalfields have tried to provide other work to endeavour
to put more material in front of your Lordships and my Lady in
that respect and if I can take it that way.
3888. CHAIRMAN: Just get this straight.
If we are to look at the EIA process under the Directive, because
I think there is no use looking at the regulations for parliamentary
purposes.
3889. MR HORTON: Certainly.
3890. CHAIRMAN: If we are going to look
at it as a Directive, we need to look at it as the situation stands
in 2008 not as it was in 2001.
3891. MR HORTON: Yes. I accept that.
Yes, no question about that. I am sorry, I am slow. I follow the
point your Lordship is putting to me. The issue which I seek to
raise in this respect is if I can put in front of you—
3892. CHAIRMAN: Just a point in close,
the buildings on Stone House and Staple Hall, which is the one
that is now in the course of construction? Maybe it is not that
one, there is another one referred to at the end of that paragraph.
3893. MR HORTON: It is the 50-storey
office development, Heron Tower.
3894. CHAIRMAN: That is now going ahead?
3895. MR HORTON: Yes.
3896. CHAIRMAN: It was re-submitted and
it has been approved.
3897. MR HORTON: I am told by Ms Jordan,
who instructs me, that Stone House and Staple Hall are still standing
and they are not piled.
3898. CHAIRMAN: What is the Heron Tower?
3899. MR HORTON: That is under construction.
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