Councillor Laura Edie is calling on the government to strip the Swanscombe Peninsula of its NSIP status

Transcript

00:00 We've had this London Resort project hanging over the borough for about a decade now.

00:04 And it's really impinging on, obviously there's a threat to the nature and the wildlife,

00:09 which is very rare and endangered that lives on the peninsula.

00:12 Also, we've got over 100 businesses that have been under compulsory purchase orders for so long now,

00:18 and it's really blighting the local community.

00:21 And unfortunately, while it stands, the NSIP's there, it's very hard for anyone to move on.

00:27 So either the conservationists, people wanting to make it a nature reserve,

00:31 or the businesses who want to reinvest in their businesses.

00:34 So it's just a real blight on our community.

00:37 And it's, I mean, coming up to a decade, it's about time now that that is removed.

00:41 I'm really hopeful that will happen now.

00:43 NSIP's quite a complicated bit of legislation, but it can't just be removed by anyone.

00:50 It has to be removed by the Secretary of State.

00:52 So I think obviously everyone sort of realises the failed projects.

00:57 They're being sued by various people, London Resort,

01:00 they've fallen apart in terms of their planning application, that's not been resubmitted.

01:05 So I think everyone's realised that it isn't right for the area.

01:09 However, unfortunately, only the Secretary of State has it in his power to remove the NSIP.

01:17 So recently, the campaign that I'm part of, Save Swanston Peninsula,

01:20 we've realised there is a mechanism for this to happen.

01:23 Previously, we thought we couldn't do.

01:26 But a project which is similar, it's a commercial project like the London Resort project,

01:30 they actually asked for the NSIP to be revoked.

01:33 So that means that there is a mechanism there.

01:36 But obviously, London Resort aren't going to come forward.

01:39 So really now we're calling the Secretary of State to do the right thing for the community

01:45 and the wider area and have it pulled.

01:48 And I'm really hopeful that will happen now.