Human chain formed to oppose British Land east London scheme

Campaigners opposed to British Land’s redevelopment of Norton Folgate’s Georgian estate next to Spitalfields Market formed a human chain around the buildings at the weekend in protest against the scheme.

Organised by the Spitalfield’s Trust, the ‘Save Norton Folgate’ campaign opposes plans by British Land to redevelop the site to include a 13-storey office tower and new public plaza, stating that the plans destroy the neighbourhood’s historic architecture.

The Trust has bought forward alternative proposals for the area by architect John Burrell.

Tower Hamlets Council, which is due to decide on the planning application for the site, has recieved 600 letters objecting to the scheme. British Land has said the new development would be “sensitive” to the local area.