Published: Monday, 16th July 2018

Owners of planned cruise terminal urged to slash project's impact on the environment.

Councillor Danny Thorpe, Leader of Royal Greenwich, said he was "hugely disappointed" developers had not yet responded to his calls for them to address the impact on pollution and air quality of the Enderby Wharf plan.

Following concerns raised by residents, the Royal Borough invited the site developers to hold talks about making the cruise liner more green or else come up with an alternative scheme that would secure more affordable housing and an alternative employment use on the site.

'Working hard to improve air quality'

Cllr Thorpe said: "I'm hugely disappointed that no sensible proposal has yet been received from the site owner. It is vital that the borough secures a well-balanced proposal that includes a sufficient amount of genuinely affordable housing alongside employment opportunities for local people.

"We are working hard to improve air quality across the borough and recognise that it is a significant concern for all residents. I want to assure residents that we are doing all we can to seek a resolution to this issue.

"I'm publicly calling on the developer to urgently come back to the table with sensible and meaningful proposals that address the concerns of the community, as well as ensuring any new scheme complies with our planning policies.

"We are aware that the site is up for sale and given this, we think it is an excellent opportunity for the developer to pause and reflect."

Existing Section 106 obligations

The Council cannot revoke the planning consent granted. However, it will not consider varying or amending any of the existing Section 106 obligations if asked by the owner or any subsequent owner unless there is a strong planning case for the changes proposed. Any formal decision would be with the Council's Planning Board.

Mayor of London support

The Leader of Greenwich Council has met with the Mayor of London, who is in full support of the Council's position. Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues, said:

"The Mayor and I have been clear that we are extremely concerned about the potential impact on air pollution and emissions of the Enderby Wharf development. The Mayor is fully supportive of Greenwich Council's strong stance in seeking a solution which includes additional measures to cut emissions and protect public health.

"Over the last 18 months I have met all the stakeholders - including the council, the developer and the cruise terminal operator - and we will continue to support them in their negotiations."

Resident opposition

Resident opposition to the terminal has focused on the decision to not have an onshore power source for ships docking there. This means power will instead come from ships' on-board diesel engines, rather than a local electricity supply.