The Council issued a decision notice on 2nd December refusing planning permission for the proposed 66 flats and one small commercial space at Bow Wharf.
Prior to the planning application being submitted, the Forum had requested under the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) a copy of the 2019 heritage report on the Bow Wharf site. This was commissioned by H20 Urban LLP, the 50/50 partnership between the Canal & River Trust (CRT) and bloc Ltd, a private developer. Our request was refused by the CRT.
Following this refusal to share the heritage report which the CRT had publicly stated formed the basis for the 2025 planning application, the Forum complained to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
After investigation, the ICO issued a decision notice on 23rd October 2025 which required the Trust to provide a fresh response to our request for the heritage report ‘on the basis that the requested information is held by the Trust for the purposes of the EIR. That response should either disclose the requested information, or else state why that information will not be disclosed.’
Disappointingly, the Canal & River Trust disagrees that it ‘holds’ the report for the purposes of the Environmental Information Regulations, even though it admits possessing the report. It has decided not to disclose the report but appeal to a First-Tier Tribunal. The tribunal case between the ICO and Canal & River Trust will be held on 27th March. A member of the Forum is a third party to the case and has submitted a witness statement. We will keep you updated.