Tory donor’s constructing plan which sparked cash-for-access row rejected – once more

A Tory donor’s controversial building project which sparked a cash-for-access scandal has been rejected by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, it’s understood.

Ex-housing minister Robert Jenrick sparked a row after intervening to expedite approval for media mogul Richard Desmond’s housing project – after the pair shared a table at a Tory fundraising dinner. It would have approved the Westferry Printworks project planned for South London just a day before a new infrastructure charge was introduced that would have cost Mr Desmond more than £40 million.

Michael Gove later reversed the decision, rejecting the plan – and Mr Jenrick accepted the decision-making had been “unlawful”. But Mr Desmond’s firm quietly resubmitted new plans last year – twice the size of the previous proposals.

Now it can be revealed Mr Khan’s Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Julian Puipe, has told the firm to go back to the drawing board.

A report deemed the application “does not fully comply with the London Plan” – Mr Khan’s masterplan for housing in the capital. And it said there were clashes with the plan on “affordable housing, urban design, heritage, transport, sustainable development and environment”.

In his mayor’s report, Sadiq Khan told London Assembly members that “I have asked officers to send letters giving comments about the following Stage 1 referrals (including)…Westferry Printworks Site”. Even if the Mayor requests Mr Desmond to do more to comply with the plan, the final “green-light” will be for whoever is housing minister after the election.

If Labour wins the election, that’s likely Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.