LFS Objection: What the house group said

From the Ben Jonson House Group, the RTA for Ben Jonson House, Barbican.

(bcc'd to the Ben Jonson House Group Committee

Re: London Film School at Barbican Exhibition Hall 1 (15/00203/FULL)

Please take this message as an objection to the application from the house group.

Residents have expressed a number of concerns to us about the planning application to construct and operate premises for the London film school beneath Ben Jonson (and Breton) house.

Of greatest concern is our apparent collective impotence in this case: A completely different kind of tenant is proposing to occupy the space currently occupied by an exhibition hall, but only once very significant changes have been made to the structure and facades of the current space. Yet we are told that there is no change of use, and so no planning conditions may be applied. We also understand that the operation will not be licensed (other than event licenses from time to time), so no overall licensing conditions may be applied either. We also understand that the leasing agreement between the City and the LFS is already set, so no lease conditions can now be applied either. We object to this.

Could the planning committee please let us know if the above fears are all correct, and if there is any opportunity for conditions to be applied what that might be.

Ben Jonson House residents will doubtlessly have told you of the specific concerns that they have about the potential loss of amenity, and loss of quiet enjoyment, of their homes. The general concerns are about potential noise, light and even smell pollution. Some of the areas of concern (and objection) are:

• Noise from deliveries to the two sound stages 
• Noise from workshops 
• Noise from cinemas and sound stages 
• The times when movements/deliveries are allowed 
• Changes to the listed fabric of the barbican (e.g. the new plant room) 
• Noise from the new plant room 
• Disturbance during construction 
• Light from the new frontage 
• Smells from smokers stepping out from the school 
• Smells from the cafe 
• Noise from people loitering around the school 

In all of these areas we would object to any more pollution than we have today. For example, noise levels should not increase in our homes if/when the school is operational. The noise standard NR30 is mentioned, but we feel that there should be no more noise than there is now, not no more than NR30 (which may be louder than we experience now).

Residents themselves must abide by the conditions in their lease. The lease very rarely matters in day to day life because, of course, we are all good neighbours. From time to time, though, the conditions of the lease are needed to help people live well together. So we would hope it would be with the LFS … but it looks like there will be no lease or other conditions to help the LFS be a good neighbour. We would appreciate the committees, and indeed the City's, help in establishing such conditions.

Thank you,
  Bruce Badger
  Chair, Ben Jonson House Group