Campaigners fighting to stop developers “ripping the heart out of Shoreditch” have amassed almost 3000 petition signatures.
The petition was started by Hackney mayor Jules Pipe, who has challenged plans, backed by Boris Johnson, to build a 48-storey deluxe housing complex.
Will cost millions
“These luxury flats, which are well beyond the reach of ordinary Londoners, will cast a shadow over the whole of Tech City, and threaten to damage the local, creative economy,” the Mayor said.
The yuppie flats will be almost as tall as Canary Wharf and will cost millions to buy, when they are built.
Nicknamed the “towers of Mammon” by protesters, the skyscrapers will plunge Tech City into darkness – cutting natural daylight by up to 45 per cent.
Feryal Demirci, councillor for Hoxton East and Shoreditch, slammed the scheme, as it “does not provide affordable homes that so many of our residents need”.
“Tech City not ghost city”
Locals are angry that Boris Johnson has gone back on his December promise to consider other options for the site.
The Skyline Campaign group also chipped in saying: “We’re completely behind the petition but it does seem to be a bit of a roller coaster – things seem to go forward then Boris does what he’s not meant to be doing and then it all goes backwards again.”
Furious residents railed against the developer, Hammerson and Ballymore, before Christmas for “misleading the entire community” after plans for the towers were unveiled.
Shoreditch MP Meg Hillier tweeted: “We want Tech City not ghost city.”
