Emotions exploded at the Battersea Bridge tower inquiry as a leading residents’ group tore into developers Rockwell — branding their tactics a “deceitful PR campaign.”
In a blistering attack, The Battersea Society’s Dr Michael Jubb accused the firm behind the 29-storey scheme of misleading the public ahead of the hearing.
He told the inquiry their consultation was: “at best flawed, and in some respects duplicitous.”
And in a stinging put-down, he dismissed claims of widespread community engagement as “pure bunkum.”
Dr Jubb went further — alleging Rockwell pumped out bogus newsletters and orchestrated pro-forma responses to sway planners.
Dr Michael Jubb of the Battersea Society
“We have never seen anything like it in Battersea,” he thundered. “I hope we never have to deal with such a shameful and deceitful campaign that made people very angry.”
But the gloves came off when Rockwell’s barrister, Russell Harris KC, demanded he apologise. Dr Jubb refused — point blank.
“I will not withdraw from calling the campaign deceitful,” he shot back.
A heavyweight in planning circles, Dr Jubb — an MBE with a near 50-year record in Battersea — said he was speaking for more than a thousand furious locals.
“They rejoiced when the Council refused the application,” he said. “They are dismayed by the appeal and the need to hold this inquiry.”
He followed up with a devastating broadside. “I have never seen such anger about a planning application,” he said. “The degree and scope of the animosity is completely unprecedented.”
Russell Harris KC, Rockwell’s lead counsel
He then reeled off a barrage of words used by residents to describe the tower in letters of objection. “Grotesque, hideous, ghastly, ridiculous, ludicrous, horrific, outrageous, monstrous, disastrous, disgusting, obscene…”
Then added: “It’s almost a relief to come across other equally damaging words — embarrassing, laughable, heartbreaking, or just totally wrong.”
And he warned developers not to dismiss locals as Nimbys: “They need to ask themselves why this particular building has given rise to so much anger.”
The scheme — called One Battersea Bridge by Rockwell’s architects Farrells — was thrown out by Wandsworth Council last year over its height and impact, following a groundswell of opposition from residents in Battersea and Chelsea and beyond.
But Rockwell has been fighting back. Earlier on Day Three, sparks flew as the council’s key witness, urban design officer Ben Eley, was grilled by Harris.
The barrister accused him of exaggerating the tower’s visual harm, but Eley stood firm. “It would be a prominent intrusion,” he said, “detracting from the park’s pre-eminent secluded nature and its sense of being ‘set apart’ from the city.”
Harris hit back, pointing to Historic England and City Hall assessments rating the impact as “low to medium.”
Both sides agreed on one thing — the final call rests with planning inspector Joanna Gilbert.
The inquiry continues
