MPs demand more answers from Jenrick over Westferry case

A group of MPs has demanded more answers from housing secretary Robert Jenrick’s over his role in the controversial Westferry planning saga.

The communities and local government select committee has asked Mr Jenrick to appear before them on 13 July to answer a series of questions on the case.

The housing secretary over-ruled a planning inspector when he approved the development of more than 1,500 flats on the site of the former Westferry print works in east London in January.

But following a challenge by Tower Hamlets Council, the decision was subsequently ruled unlawful by the High Court.

Last month, Mr Jenrick released a series of documents relating to his involvement in the case.

In a letter to the housing secretary, committee chair Clive Betts said he ‘respectfully disagrees’ with the Prime Minister’s recent assertion that ‘the matter is closed’ and that ‘important lessons must be learned’.

‘As I said in the House and repeat again now, I am not accusing you, or any official in the Ministry, of deliberate wrongdoing,’ writes Mr Betts.

‘However, the documents do clearly demonstrate that serious mistakes were made during the process, and that these put into doubt your ability to act as a neutral arbiter in this case and created a strong perception of bias. You have accepted that your decision was unlawful on that basis.

‘It is important for the committee to scrutinise where it feels that greater transparency is needed within the planning system and to ensure confidence in the fairness of future planning decisions,’ the letter adds.

‘As is customary at the start of each Parliament, this committee resolved not to scrutinise individual cases, including planning decisions, preferring instead to take a wider view of government policy making.

‘However, given the particular high-profile of this case and the opportunity to learn wider lessons, we feel it is important to make an exception and consider the rigour of the process without becoming the arbiter of the decision itself.’

Photo Credit – Ahundt (Pixabay)