Happy birthday OPEN Dalston! Ten years campaigning for a sustainable community.

OPEN is a community action membership company founded in Dalston in 2005 and run by volunteers. This OPEN Dalston blog is a chronicle of events in Dalston since 2004. There have been more than 300 posts, more than 500 comments and more than 375,000 pageviews.
OPEN groups have also formed and campaigned in Shoreditch, Stratford, Aldgate and Wapping

OPEN Dalston's core values include the belief that Dalston should have something for everybody and that promoting local diversity - social, economic, architectural, cultural and bio-diversity - is essential to sustain our vibrant residential and business community.
This belief has led us to resist the imposition of top-down monolithic solutions and remote decision making, and to campaign to preserve local character and identity, for affordable housing and independent businesses, and for changes to planned new developments which could better meet environmental and human needs.
Here are some of the campaigns we have been involved with over the last 10 years.

2005 - the attack on Dalston's architectural heritage

The first OPEN Dalston blog post set out our aims and objectives based on our understanding at that time. Of immediate concern was the Hackney Council's planned demolition, without planning permission, of the 1886 Circus buildings (Dalston Theatre/ Four Acres Club) and locally listed Georgian houses in the town centre.
We believed that by saving and reusing at least some of these heritage buildings the area could offer something unique and different for those who came to Dalston to live, shop and do business (and party! Ed.).
The authorities neglect of the historic environment and local economy was also typified in Dalston Lane where, since 1984, Council shops had been run down, boarded up and eventually in 2002 sold at auction to an off-shore company, over the heads of the remaining shopkeepers, with disastrous consequences.

2006 - tower blocks to overwhelm the area

As the authorities destructive plans for redevelopment emerged a  major objection to the GLA/Transport for London's plan for Dalston was the total failure to provide any affordable housing in the TfL development above the station. Their policies at the time were to aim for 50% affordable housing.
They planned to build towerblocks which would overwhelm the area and create a windswept, hard surfaced, shaded public space and without adequate provision for children living in the new flats.
The masterplan for the scheme had been agreed before public consultation had even started. The authorities claimed that a 30%  reduction in the density of the original Dalston Square designs was an adequate response to community objections.

2007 - demolishing Dalston town centre



Hackney Council claimed that, due to its own neglect, the 1886 Dalston Theatre and locally listed 1807 Georgian houses were too derelict to restore and be part of the new scheme. It first attempted to demolish the buildings without public consultation and planning permission, which OPEN's Court injunction prevented.
Despite overwhelming community opposition, it refused to consider the alternative scheme proposed by Bootstrap Company and supported by OPEN Dalston, for affordable housing and open green space. Demolition was approved using the Planning Committee Chair's casting vote
After four Court actions OPEN eventually had to give up the fight and the historic buildings were demolished.
Hackney then moved on to demolish its derelict houses in Ashwin Street, once again without adequate surveys and planning permission, as a "natural progression of the Dalston Square development". Its plans for the vacant site remain unclear.

2008 - Ridley Road market traders fighting for their futures

2008 was the first year of the credit crash when the banks, major housebuilders and high street businesses faced potential ruin.
Barratt had already started building Dalston Square when its shares crashed by 90%. It survived by marketing and selling flats off-plan to Far East investors in China and south-east Asia. Dalston's redevelopment became a template for London's future development.
Ridley Road Market Traders were struggling in difficult times and OPEN supported them in their resistance to Council prosecutions for trivial offences, cancellation of their street trading licences, evictions from storage facilities and the refusal to restore electricity supplies for winter stall lighting. Eventually the government had to step in and stop the madness.
The Council finally began consultation and, in agreement with the market traders and local people's views, refurbished rather than redeveloped Ridley Road market. An essential community resource for affordable food and other goods was saved.
OPEN also petitioned the Council to support the local shops of Dalston Lane and Broadway Market, which the Council had sold off to off-shore companies, and which were under severe pressure from developers. Many traders faced rocketing rents and eviction for redevelopment and several lost their livelihoods.

2009 - consultation and the Dalston Area Action Plan

I

In 2009 OPEN launched a major consultation with local people, to seek their views on the Council's Dalston Area Action Plan (DAAP) proposals which, we were told, would inform the way Dalston would be developed in the future. Hundreds took part in our consultation project and the views of local people have continued to inform our campaigns ever since.
In 2009 we also saw the opening up of the disused Eastern Curve railway line, a post-industrial wilderness, for the Dalston Mill event This in turn lead on to the creation of the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden in 2010 with which OPEN Dalston members have been closely involved from the start.
Sadly the 'linear park' which we had campaigned for in the DAAP was redesignated, after public consultation had closed,  as a 'shopping circuit' for future redevelopment with the Kingsland Shopping Centre. We made representations, at the Planning Inspector's Inquiry, against the loss of bio-diversity which redesignating the Eastern Curve Garden would entail..

2010 - Dalston's £63m Olympic bus stop

2010  revealed the true cost to the public purse of The Slab - a monolithic concrete raft built above Dalston Junction station to provide a turnaround for TfL's buses. OPEN had campaigned at length against the scheme. To subsidise The Slab, Hackney had given up its neighbouring Dalston Theatre heritage site for a peppercorn, and granted planning permission for its replacement by towers of private flats which became Dalston Square. Just one bus route, the 488 would use The Slab and not the 60 buses an hour which we were told it had been designed for.
Despite being told by UKGov Minister that The Slab was "essential transport infrastructure for the 2012 Olympics", no use was made of it during the 2012 Olympics at all. The Slab has so far proved to be a monument to a scandalous waste of local and national taxpayers money - Dalston's "£63m Olympic bus stop". Boris' promised inquiry into the cost was a deluge of drivel.

2011 - arty blocks become brick monoliths

Dalston's 'cool' and 'edgy' reputation, and the East London Line overground extension to Dalston Junction ( The hipsters shuttle! Ed.) was now attracting big money into the area.
OPEN assisted local residents to make objections, to Hackney and the GLA, against a major development planned for 67A-70 Dalston Lane/Martel Place. Residents were outraged by its overbearing scale and the eviction of over 60 artists and two independent businesses from the site. The development is now under construction - although its "Bridget Riley style " colourful cladding has since (reportedly) been downgraded to brick.
Local kids also attended the Town Hall planning meeting and objected to Hackney selling off our adjoining open green space to the developer after promising us a skateboard playground in the DAAP. Kids had to carry on skating on The Slab.  

2012 - dressed in green tower for Kingsland High Street

The tsunami of redevelopment applications in Dalston continued. Next up was the "Dressed in Green" 19-storey tower planned for the Peacocks site next to Kingsland station. OPEN members organised a major petition and a local business made us a campaign video. Following our representations the Planning Committee unanimously threw out the scheme.
But developers don't give up. Following a 'pre-application' meeting, between the developer and the Planning Committee, at which the public were not allowed to speak, permission was later granted for a new 15-storey design for 98 flats of which only 15 will be for "affordable" sale ( with access though the "poor door") and none for "affordable" rent. The  penthouse flats will have a price tag of well over £1million.

2013 - Dalston's gentrification and the new bland

With the gentrification of Dalston came the new "could be anywhere" style. Hackney Planner's advised  architects to "design it bland" for the Hackney/Transport for London's partnership scheme with Taylor Wimpey proposed for the "Western Curve" sites  - on Kingsland High Street above the refurbished railway tunnels north of Dalston Junction. Those sites are now under construction behind the High Street hoardings.
Following OPEN's objections, the initial overscale designs were withdrawn, and some design changes made, but even those will still privatise public land, create a private gated community and reduce sunlight to local listed buildings and public space.Many of the new flats will be below British Standards for natural light and only 9 of 106 flats will be for "affordable" rent.
Such is the power of developers to bamboozle Council officers and Hackney's inability, in fear of developers' appeals, to uphold  its local DAAP and its core planning policies.

2014 - phoney Georgian replicas for Dalston Lane

There had been decades of Hackney standing idly by watching the decay of Dalston Lane's Georgian terraces, and family businesses being driven out. Despite being the "champions of our heritage" Hackney eventually did a development deal with Murphy for a profit-led scheme to demolish our 17 Georgian houses in Dalston Lane and build 44 flats, all for private sale, in "heritage likeness". Only community outcry stopped the unlawful demolitions in January 2014 but then, despite community objections,  in March Hackney approved  total demolition using its Planning Committee Chair's casting vote, 
OPEN raised funds locally and challenged the decision in the courts, whilst the Spitalfields Trust sought to meet and persuade Hackney that a scheme for restoration and affordable housing was feasible. Hackney refused to consider alternatives. The year closed sadly with bulldozers moving onto the site.

2015  - what the future holds

Hackney Council have finally recognised the heritage value of the Kingsland High Street area.  It is proposing a new Dalston Conservation Area. The local buildings have a wonderfully diverse range of periods, styles, detailing and occupancy for which protection is long overdue.
But what has been missed out are the buildings in what Hackney calls Dalston's "cultural quarter" - Reeves Printhouse, the Railway Tavern, the Shiloh Church and 10-16 Ashwin Street. They are all equally worthy and much loved locally. So why is Hackney not conferring conservation area protection on them as well? Is there another plan?
The planned implementation of Crossrail 2 ( the Chelsea to Hackney tube) also threatens demolition and redevelopment of many more character buildings in Dalston, unless the authorities can be persuaded of other viable alternative schemes which would preserve our local identity.

In 2015 Hackney Council will continue to hope for and encourage the redevelopment of Kingsland Shopping Centre. Towers of 500 new  flats are proposed to create Dalston Square Mark 2. This will risk the loss of the Eastern Curve Garden, our only public green space, for re-development as a shopping circuit. What will the public benefit be to compensate for the widespread loss of sunlight and bio-diversity? Will there be adequate affordable rented housing and the promised children's play areas? 

Mayor Pipe! When will you apologise for the destruction of Dalston's Georgian houses?

An open letter to Hackney's Mayor Jules Pipe

Dear Mayor Pipe,

Do you remember I wrote to you last September, on behalf of OPEN members, about our Georgian houses of Dalston Terrace? I offered to arrange a meeting between you and the Spitalfields Trust, who wanted to restore them and provide some affordable housing. Months earlier I'd written to your officers, but they refused to discuss the Trust's proposal. You didn't reply to my letter either.

Did you know that, since I wrote to you, Number 66 Dalston Lane (c 1807), our old Sound and Music shop, has been demolished? You are reported as describing it recently, whilst driving past, as " the eyesore". It is gone now, which you may be pleased to hear.

"Dalston Lane. We're going to miss you.You're still strong, solid and beautiful.We will keep fighting for you and your old firends around here. People of Dalston"

We held a wake beside the ruins and local people are still leaving touching tributes at Dalston Terrace, in front of the remaining  houses which have been condemned and are the next to go.

 

"RIP Dalston terrace. 1807-2015. Money and ignorance win"

As you know the story of Dalston Terrace is a long one  - over 200 years in fact. But let me remind you just of what we can both recall.

You will remember Hackney Council inherited Dalston Terrace in 1984, free of charge, when Margaret Thatcher abolished the Greater London Council. It was a thriving terrace then, with seventeen independent family businesses. But in the following years the Council refused to grant its tenants new leases, empty houses were boarded up, many were squatted, roofs fell in and millions were lost in rents. We were shamed by the years of neglect and dereliction on Dalston Lane.

2002 was the year when you became Council Leader. At the time Hackney was £70million in debt, from its grand follies, like The Ocean on Mare Street. To balance the books, it flooded the market with its 'surplus' properties including Dalston Lane and Broadway Market. It was a fire sale of the family silver. You will also remember the report of independent auditors that £millions were lost to Hackney taxpayers by undervaluing private sales.

When Dalston Terrace was put up for sale there were, by then, only five surviving businesses left. As you know, your standing orders required the Council to offer first refusal to your tenants. But your tenants' offers, and their dreams, were ignored. The houses were sold as one lot, at auction, to an offshore company. Fires and evictions followed.

2005 was the year when you became our elected Mayor, with overarching executive powers and responsibilities. It was the year when you authorised the demolition of the 1886 Dalston Circus and locally listed Georgian houses as part of the Dalston Square development.

But we took heart when the Dalston Lane Conservation Area was declared. Your Council said it was the “champion of our heritage” and would protect and enhance these “remarkable survivors of Georgian architecture”.  The following year, after the arson attack when JON’S Scooters burnt down, you may remember that OPEN members made a deputation to your Cabinet. A resolution expressing urgency was passed.

But nothing was done to shore up the burnt and vadalised structures or to protect the remaining houses. Later, to our dismay, your Council just demolished JON'S Scooters, and Pizzey's Flowers, and let the rest continue to decay. The Georgian Group has called it a “policy of studied neglect”.

We, that is OPEN members, worked hard to gain recognition in the Council's recent planning policies for restoration of the surviving characterful houses of Dalston. We hoped that these rare fragments of our Georgian heritage might be saved so that future generations could take pride in our heritage and where we are from.

But when the Council eventually bought the houses back from the off shore company, for double what it had sold them for at the auction, it didn't seek offers for their restoration. Instead a profit led scheme was designed, loading the ancient structures with 44 new flats, all for private sale. I was told that you personally approved of the plan.

 The Council considered their destruction to be inevitable and authorised its development partner, Murphy, to demolish them all. Without planning permission. Did your Council think it was above the law?

Now, after thirty years of deliberate neglect, after families and businesses have been driven out of the area and Hackney taxpayers have lost £millions, the final destruction of 200 years of our local history is under way.

Your Cabinet colleague, Councillor Nicholson, has called it a “genuine conservation led scheme”, although nothing will be conserved. It is claimed that the planned “heritage likeness” phoney replicas are so costly that there can be no affordable flats for local people either.

If the demolition programme carries on to Phase 2 there will be nothing left for our grandchildren, except our memories and photographs of how Dalston used to be, and for us to tell them how our elected leaders stood idly by and watched their heritage being neglected and destroyed in the name of regeneration and necessity.

I am writing to you again now, on behalf of OPEN members, to ask whether you will be issuing an apology for the years of dereliction and for the loss of the houses of Dalston Terrace which have already been demolished.

And also to ask you whether you will agree, even now, to meet Spitalfields Trust to consider whether the remaining houses of Dalston Terrace could still be be saved.

I do hope that this time you will consider our request and reply to this letter.

Yours sincerely

Bill Parry-Davies
Secretary.
Organisation for Promotion of Environmental Needs Ltd. (OPEN)

Dalston Lane "heritage likeness" scheme nominated asTesco World Heritage Site

Photo @TodCollider 

Dalston's community held a well attended wake on Saturday at the demolished ruins of No.66 Dalston Lane.

Photo @TimePlaceE8

A moving tribute has been left at the site of the houses which are facing demolition in Phase 2 of the Hackney/Murphy scheme.

Photo @TodCollider 

There is a pictorial history planted on the north side of Dalston Lane, opposite the ruins of No 66

Photo @TimePlaceE8

A Save Dalston Lane banner, designed by Tod Hanson, has been left on the site of the remaining six houses which, unless Hackney and Murphy have a change of heart, are to be demolished in Phase 2 of the Hackney/Murphy scheme, probably in 6-9 months time.

Photos @TodCollider

Meanwhile the bricks from the demolished houses are being cleaned, stacked and wrapped...



...and taken off site in their hundreds. These are the same bricks which, Murphy's architect and engineer advised the Council, were at the "end of their life" and so the houses had to be demolished and a new "heritage likenesss" scheme built with new bricks.

Photos @TodCollider 

Meanwhile the Hackney/Murphy "heritage likeness" scheme, which is to replace the Georgian houses on Dalston Lane, has been suggested for "Tesco World Heritage site" status. ( Err...I don't think Tesco would be interested in this site until all the 1807 houses are demolished and the 'open plan' shops have been created. Ed.)

A WAKE! Show Hackney's Mayor you object to vandalism and the loss of affordable homes

You are invited to meet at noon tomorrow, Saturday 24th January, at the ruins of 66 Dalston Lane with OPEN Dalston members to protest at Hackney Council's neglect and vandalism of our Georgian houses and its refusal to consider their restoration and the provision of affordable housing proposed by the Spitalfields Trust.

At the Hackney Planning Committee meeting on 5th March 2014, when Murphy sought permission to demolish the houses, it's architect and structural engineer advised the Committee "The stock brick was found to be of a poorer quality than expected from the Georgian era.....the bricks were already at the end of their life". This opinion was contested by Hackney's own, and OPEN's, independent engineers.The Committee's votes were equally divided and permission was granted by use of the Chair's casting vote of Councillor Stopps.

It is curious then that, as Murphy's Phase 1 demolition of 66-76 Dalston Lane is progressing, the demolition contractor is daily cleaning, stacking, wrapping and transporting hundreds of those "unusable" bricks off site for use elsewhere.

Court of Appeal can't stop the demolition of Dalston's Georgian houses

Lord Justice Sullivan has refused OPEN permission to continue with its appeal against demolition of the Georgian houses of Dalston Lane. When defending OPEN's claim Hackney was reduced to pleading its own negligence - that, despite its claims to be "champions of our heritage", the years of lack of maintenance had caused such deterioration that the buildings could no longer be saved.

The highly respected Judges held that, whatever their personal views, their powers to judicially review were restricted and so they could not interfere. Mr Justice Collins said he was "not without considerable sympathy for the approach of the objectors". The Judges found that the Planning Committee was entitled to accept its officers' recommendation for demolition provided it followed due process ( ie The Committee were entitled to foul it up provided it did so properly! Ed.)

The Committee were aware that Hackney's own independent expert, Alan Baxter Associates, as well many other experts, considered that some or most the buildings could be saved. It was also aware that Hackney Council had designated the Conservation Area to protect the houses and had passed policies requiring their restoration. It was also aware of the hundreds of objections including those of national amenity societies like the Georgian Group and the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings. And so, the Judges found, it could not be said that the Committee had overlooked these opinions and policies when exercising its 'planning judgement' to accept the opinion of Murphy (Hackney's development partner) that the buildings were by then beyond redemption and to allow their demolition.

The Story of Dalston Terrace 1807 -2014 describes the appalling neglect of these antique houses (Video)

Murphy are now proceeding with Phase 1 of their plan - complete demolition of Nos 66-76 Dalston Lane and then rebuilding of the facades in "heritage likeness" with new flats all for private sale. Once complete, unless Hackney has a change of heart, it will then proceed with Phase 2 at Nos 48 - 64 Dalston Lane, in perhaps 9-12 months time.

The local community and national amenity societies have strongly backed OPEN's campaign. There were over 750 objections to Murphy's planning application to demolish the houses. Faced with a divided Committee it's Chair, Councillor Stopps, used his casting vote to grant permission. OPEN had raised over £15,000 in its appeal to fund the legal fight, which was sustained for 12 months since Hackney first tried to demolish the houses illegally. Since May 2014 Hackney have refused to consider the Spitalfields Trust proposal to restore the 1807 houses and develop the remainder with a housing association for affordable rented flats.

The petition to Hackney's Mayor to allow this proposal has had over 860 signatures to date. You can still sign the petition and tell the Mayor your views, and we urge you to do so.

This is a sad day for Dalston. Hackney Council has already lost us £millions by its mismanagement of Dalston Terrace. Our future generations are now about to lose heritage assets, in which they could have taken pride once restored, and lose the opportunity for affordable homes which could prevent at least a few local people from being driven from the area by extortionate local rents. The loss will be irreversible and we are saddened by this and by Hackney's Mayor and our elected representatives failure to fulfil their promises to our community that the houses would be protected and restored.

Dalston Terrace - do you want demolition and "heritage likeness" or restoration and affordable flats?

The Hackney/Murphy plan is to demolish 17 of the Georgian houses in Dalston Terrace and replace them with a "heritage likeness" scheme of 44 flats with no affordable housing.

The entrance to the former 'Sound and Music' shop at 66 Dalston Lane. On the demolition hoardings in front of it is an image of the Hackney/Murphy "heritage likeness" scheme

The Council advised its' Planning Committee, on Murphy's application to demolish everything, that "like-for-like reconstruction of the principal elevation of the terrace will ensure the appearance of the  original terrace can be reintroduced....There will be no appreciable difference.. conservation area preserved and enhanced. "
Report to Planning Sub-Committee – 5th March 2014

This is an old Victorian house at 124 Dalston Lane

This is a "heritage likeness" old Victorian house at 122 Dalston Lane

The two houses side by side - do you think that there is "no appreciable difference"? 

The Spitalfields Trust scheme would restore the 1807 houses as family homes and redevelop the remainder with a housing association to provide 24 affordable flats. ( What could be more in the public interest? Ed.)

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PETITION AND CONTINUE THE COURT APPEAL.

You really CAN help the campaign by SIGNING THE PETITION and you can help the legal fighting fund by making a DONATION or by BUYING  a limited edition quality T-shirt or useful tote bag with the Save Dalston Lane logo designed by Tod Hanson

You can follow the OPEN campaign on twitter and facebook.

Dalston Terrace demolitions - why OPEN still disputes Hackney Planning Committee's decision

OPEN has appealed against a High Court Judge's ruling that he had no power to overturn Hackney giving planning permission to Murphy to demolish our Georgian houses of Dalston Terrace. It was not for him, the Judge said, to decide whether the decision last March was right or wrong.  In his opinion, "not without considerable sympathy for the approach of the objectors", there was no procedural or legal defect in Hackney's decision which could justify his intervention. So why has OPEN appealed?

Since the Court's judgement No 66 Dalston Lane, formerly 'Sound and Music', Murphy have refused to await OPEN's appeal. It has stripped the  Georgian windows and chimney pots, and the roof  tiles have been removed so letting the rain in,  ready for Murphy's Phase 1 demolition programme.

In 2012 Hackney’s consultant engineers had advised that the 17 Georgian houses could survive redevelopment into 44 flats, and demolition of the ground floor front walls to create open plan shops. The scheme was profit-led, to ensure it attracted the interest of a developer. In August 2012 Hackney granted itself planning permission but because it was to be described as a "conservation led" scheme, to meet planning policy requirements, the front facades of the houses had to be retained.

The entrance of  the old 'Sound and Music' shop, at 66 Dalston Lane and,  on the hoardings in front of it, a CGI image of the Hackney/Murphy 'heritage likeness' reproduction scheme .  No 66 is in Phase 1 of Murphy's demolition  scheme. 

In June 2013 the same consulting engineers, now employed by Murphy ( Hackney’s new development partner), produced a second report. It advised that the because all of the houses had had years of neglect, were badly built, with poor quality and delaminating bricks, and with walls which were bulging, dishing, and cracking, all the houses including the facades required complete demolition if the permitted scheme was to be implemented.

All of  the houses are planned for demolition over the next 18 months   

Hackney Council next commissioned consulting engineers Alan Baxter and Associates, to independently review Murphy's report. Here is how Alan Baxter, in October 2013, described No 66, the former "Sound and Music" shop (which  Murphy have now started demolishing).

Number 66 
Summary of façade form and condition 
Delamination of brickwork: Minor
Plumbness of wall: Generally appears plumb
Previous alterations: Large opening formed at ground floor level.
The parapet has been part rebuilt.
General degradation of timber: Some
Overall Condition: Average to Poor

So, contrary to Murphy's opinion, there is no major cracking or bulging walls, only minor delamination of brickwork, a rebuilt parapet and with alterations already made to create an open plan shop on the ground floor on No 66. As for the "weak" bricks, Alan Baxter advised ““With regards to the brickwork strength argument, this is flawed. It is not appropriate to judge buildings of this age and type as if they are modern construction…. they can be expected to last indefinitely…… numbers 66 and 56-48 Dalston Lane ... have some potential to be repaired.”  (You can read the report on 66 and on 56-48 here)

The side walls of No 58 and 66 Dalston Lane ( the old Sound and Music shop, were propped by a steel frame after JON's Scooters and Pizzey's Flower Shop (60-64 Dalston Lane)  were burnt down whilst owned by an off-shore company. They were later demolished by Hackney.

A month after Hackney had received Alan Baxter's report, Hackney's Planning Department signed off Murphy'structural assessment and method statement for demolition of Dalston Terrace. The following month, December 2013, and although no planning permission had been granted for demolition of the facades, it authorised Murphy to commence complete demolition. Community outcry stopped the works.

So when the Council came to its Planning Committee in March 2014, on Murphy's application for total demolition, it had already made up its mind the previous December. It recommended demolition of everything and rejected the opinions of its own independent consultant Alan Baxter and the other experts, amenity societies and members of the public among the750 objectors to Muphy's planning application.

The Spitalfields Trust scheme would restore the 1807 houses as family homes and redevelop the remainder with a housing association to provide 24 affordable flats. ( What could be more in the public interest? Ed.)

There has been no sound explanation given to justify the complete demolition of all of the houses - and Hackney's Planning Committee gave no reasons. The Spitalfields Trust proposed a scheme last May which could be built without total demolition, restoring the 1807 houses and redeveloping the remainder to provide affordable housing, but Hackney have still failed to properly consider it and the public benefit arising from it.

You can follow the OPEN campaign on twitter and facebook.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE THE APPEAL.You really can help the campaign by signing the petition and help the legal fighting fund by making a donation or by buying some merchandise.