The council decision on this was last night. After 9,000 pages and 4 years the decision was to......defer. More documents, more delay.

Anatomy of a Planning Refusal When 7,500 pages isn’t enough detail

Get the full story here: open.substack.com/pub/samdumit...

This process has taken four years.
And it still isn’t over.
Tonight, Hackney’s planning committee can overrule the officers. They should.

It is impossible to comply with all the policy requirements at once. The refusal says the building is:
• Too tall
• Doesn’t have enough office space
• Doesn’t have enough housing
What would be allowed is never explained.

Best/worst of all the development was criticised for casting a shadow.....on itself. Buildings are literally required to be scared of their own shadow.

The developers are trying to comply with many policies that achieve the exact opposite of what they intend. Climate policies which increase emissions. Affordable workspace rules white reduce affordable workspace. Affordable housing rules which reduce affordable housing.

Their verdict?
The building doesn’t follow the “grain” of surrounding buildings. This is the kind of thing panel members design.

Local support was overwhelming. Hackney received 64 letters. 61 were in favour, including the local councillor @anyasizer.bsky.social. But what really matters is the view of planners and the 'Design Review Board'.

To get this far, the developer submitted 9,054 pages of documents.
That’s longer than War and Peace, all 7 Harry Potter books, and the Bible combined.

The Shoreditch Works development would deliver:
• 40 new homes
• 4,150 new jobs
78% of people prefer the new design to the existing building.

Would you say a 9,054-page planning application for an office block and some flats is:
A) Too long
B) About right
C) Not long enough
If you answered C, congratulations! You could work at Hackney Council.

Are supermarkets, industrial estates, and railway sidings 'brownfield land'?

The answer is no.

At least that's what the Government's definition for a new tax on housebuilding says.

Our campaign director Sam Richards explains.

Can we achieve Net Zero without China? Not any time soon

Read the piece on substack: open.substack.com/pub/samdumit...

It doesn't mean we need to give up on net zero, but these are difficult realities we have to think about. The one big clean tech exception is nuclear, where we have already broken away from China.

If we go further back in the supply chain who do we find there? China!

UK Wind turbines are usually not made in China but China produces:
~80% of global wind gearboxes
~82% of power converters
~73% of generators

The UK’s Net Zero transition is very dependent on China. Over 80% of our solar panels come from China because China makes almost all the world's solar panels.

We’re getting worried about Great British Railways Nationalisation can work, but the Government isn’t doing it right

Labour spent ages arguing that the railways should be nationalised.

They appear not to have spent much time figuring out what we can learn from the best nationalised systems.

catchingmice.substack.com/cp/180687006

China, the UK and Net Zero Relying on a rival

Britain can't reach Net Zero without Chinese supply chains.

What are the risks and what should we do about them?

This, from my colleague Michael Hill, is the best thing I've read on Britain's reliance on China to reach Net Zero.

www.samdumitriu.com/p/china-the-...

Labour are finally taking the housing shortage seriously Is the new National Planning Policy Framework Labour’s biggest pro-growth move?

NEW: Labour just announced the biggest change in planning policy in 80 years.

My breakdown of the key measures and whether they will succeed.

www.samdumitriu.com/p/labour-are...

Seem to be struggling to message you on linkedin but my email is mhill@britainremade.co.uk

Chris is facing a bill of more than £15,000 to replace a couple of windows. But only £5k of that is for the actual windows. The other £10k is fees to navigate the ridiculous planning obstacles Westm... TikTok video by britain_remade

I work for Britain Remade and we are one of the YIMBY groups getting very worried about how the BSR is working. Would you be interested in a quick chat about your experience and how we could change things? See the link for something related: www.tiktok.com/@britain_rem...

"Scotland faces a choice: embrace nuclear and share in the investment, jobs, and clean power, or stick with an outdated ban and watch opportunity flow elsewhere"
@michaeljahill.bsky.social writes for the blog on the opportunities for Scotland from nuclear power
www.enlighten.scot/time-to-ditc...