Michael Gove lays groundwork to block demolition of Museum of London
Michael Gove has intervened to halt plans to redevelop the former Museum of London building after more than 800 local residents and campaigners lodged complaints. The Housing Secretary acted after the City of London Corporation gave permission for the demolition of the museum and a next-door office block, Bastion House. Yesterday, the corporation’s planning committee approved a new scheme, known as London Wall West, after three years of consultations. But the plans are in limbo after the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities issued a “holding direction” preventing the approval taking force. A government source said that a decision to formally call in the planning application was still to be made. Opponents of the scheme yesterday urged Mr Gove to take further action. Barbican Quarter Action said: “We hope that the Secretary of State will now move to call this application in. The City is both applicant and the local planning authority and as such this complex and contested scheme must be subject to the highest levels of scrutiny.” The plans involve constructing 56,000 square metres of office space, which the corporation said would create up to 3,100 jobs. It will also include “flexible space for cultural use, an elevated...