Campaigners seek £20,000 to fight Brick Lane developments in upcoming inquiry

‘Save Brick Lane’ campaigners are fundraising for lawyers and experts to oppose three developments in next month’s inquiry.

Campaigners are trying to raise £20,000 to help them ‘save Brick Lane’ at a planning inquiry in October.

Plans to redevelop three sites on and around Brick Lane are set to be considered by the government’s Planning Inspectorate at the hearing.

The ‘Save Brick Lane’ campaign is set to take part in the inquiry to oppose the plans. It says it wants to make sure the inspector hears ‘a true reflection of the voice of the community’.

The owner of the Truman’s Brewery buildings in Spitalfields wants to redevelop three sites in Brick Lane, Ely’s Yard, and Gray Eagle Street.

The plans include demolishing several buildings on the Truman’s Brewery site between Brick Lane and Spital Street.

These would be replaced with five new buildings with offices, 44 homes, a restaurant, a cinema, a supermarket, and a market. Six of the homes would be let at ‘affordable rent’ levels.

Plans also involve constructing another office building of up to six storeys on Ely’s Yard in Dray’s Walk, and a data centre in Gray Eagle Street.

Speaking at a campaign press conference on 29 August, Saif Osmani of the Bengali East End Heritage Society said the plans meant ‘Brick Lane’s Banglatown – the first Banglatown in the West – is under threat because of large-scale land acquisitions and huge developments that are not providing the housing that has been promised over decades.’

Truman Estates applied to Tower Hamlets Council for planning permission for the developments in August 2024.

But it appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in June this year to determine the application because the council was taking too long.

Councillors voted on Thursday, 29th July, to oppose the applications when they are presented to the Planning Inspectorate.

The Save Brick Lane campaign has also been given permission to take part in the inquiry.

Charles Gledhill of the Spitalfields Trust told the press conference that this is to make sure the community’s voices are heard.

He said: ‘What’s important is we make that a true reflection of the voices of the community.

‘We need to make the hearing about the impact on the community – not just about technical points about planning law – and about the actual effect on the ground on the community and the heritage of Brick Lane.

‘We need to make it clear that imposing a massive office development slap in the middle of a vibrant and important community with an important culture and heritage is absolutely unacceptable.’

Campaigners said they would bring their own witnesses to the inquiry with expertise on heritage, harm to the community, and planning law.

However, they said the costs associated with taking part meant they needed to fundraise.

Campaigner Faysal Ahmed said: ‘To be able to join the inquiry and present an effective, robust case, we need urgently to raise upwards of £20,000.

‘Every penny will go towards paying barrister fees, solicitor fees and expert witnesses.’

He added: ‘Brick Lane is an important cultural hub for all Bangladeshis, not just for those who currently live there. A duty, responsiblity to protect our heritage and history falls on all of us.’

The inquiry is set to start on 14th October and is expected to last for twelve days.

If you liked this read: Truman Brewery v Save Brick Lane: What you need to know about the campaign to save the East End as we know it