Writing to Sam Tarry MP and GLA Representatives re a supportive press release

 I wrote the below to London Wide elected GLA representatives yesterday and Sam Tarry MP canvassing support for a supportive press release

Dear Elected Representatives

I wrote to you last week about a proposed press release. Bob Weston, the Chief Executive of Weston Homes and Cllr Athwal, Leader of Redbridge Council, did not respond to me and I guess not to you.

Therefore, I seek your support for a press release as follows. The title is just a draft, perhaps a better one can be agreed.

Suggested Title The dash to build for London's homeless must not be at the expense of child health

We the undersigned welcome Keith Prince Conservative AM, Ashburn Holder, previous Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, RoseMary Warrington, previous Green Parliamentary Candidate and local residents attending 10 Downing Street to support a Judicial Review against a High Rise Development planned in Goodmayes East London. The letter delivered to the Prime Minister on the 31^st October 2022 is at the end of this press release.

We share the concerns expressed in the letter to the Prime Minister and hope that Tescos, Weston Homes and Redbridge Council will agree to move the school into the development where mechanical ventilation is not required to protect children against air pollution. END of press release

Letter delivered to the Prime Minister below

We are concerned about new housing developments being built close to busy roads where the air is so toxic that mechanical ventilation has to be installed to make them habitable.

For example, a Tesco development High Rise site in Redbridge faces onto a High Road and has mechanical ventilation proposed to the seventh floor. (a)

It is baffling that the planned primary school at the planned development, which also faces the High Road, and next to proposed affordable housing, nevertheless does not have mechanical ventilation although it has a playground on the school roof below the seventh floor. (b)

Redbridge Council is refusing to allow any prospective affordable housing parents, whose children have asthma, the right to refuse living in mechanically ventilated flats without sanction. (c)

Exercise is a trigger for an asthma attack. (d)

This means parents whose children are asthma sufferers who overlook the school playground may be watching their children and fearing for their safety on high pollution days.

This is unacceptable and we ask to look into this development and at the very least recommend moving the school and affordable housing into an area at the site with lower pollution levels which do not need mechanical ventilation.

There should not be the need for legal action to remedy this obvious oversight which risks child health. ENDS Letter

My attempts at getting media interest in this case have been more miss than hit. However, we have had some success with local papers. Should any of you be up for a TV or radio interviews at the site I will do my best to get BBC etc interested. The hearing is on the 29th November so it needs to be before then.

The skeleton argument for the hearing was lodged today. Paragraph 77 mentions the school and the authority Cameron v Manchester where the High Court did give permission for a full hearing where concern for a school was a central issue.

I request that the skeleton argument is not shared or published, it seems fair to send it to you so you can judge the merits of the argument

Regards

Andy Walker

120 Blythswood Road IG3 8SG 07956 263088