Housing Minister Robert Jenrick was "insistent" on approving a £1 billion development before a Tory party donor would have to pay £45 million in new taxes, new documents reveal.
The Government bowed to opposition pressure tonight and published 129 pages of documents related to the Westferry Printworks scheme, including transcripts of text messages between Mr Jenrick and media mogul Richard Desmond.
On January 14 Mr Jenrick approved the 1,500 homes project on the Isle of Dogs, 12 days before the former Daily Express owner — whose Northern & Shell group owns the 15.5 acre site — gave £12,000 to the Conservative Party.
The approval came a day before a levy was introduced that would have resulted in Westferry paying an additional £40m to Tower Hamlets, London’s poorest borough.
The tranche of documents includes email discussions between civil servants in the housing ministry about the decision to approve the project.
On January 9 one official wrote: “On timing, my understanding is that SoS [Mr Jenrick] is/was insistent that decision issued this week ie tomorrow – as next week the viability of the scheme is impacted by a change in the London CIL regime."
A text message from Mr Desmond to the minister on December 23 read: “Morning Robert How does the advice look? We have to get the approval before January 15 otherwise payment of 45 million pounds to tower hamlets (sic) meaning we have to stop and reduce social housing.”
The documents also include text messages exchanged between Mr Jenrick and Mr Desmond shortly after the Tory Party fundraiser in November 2019.
On the night of the event, November 18, Mr Jenrick texted the former media mogul saying it was “good to spend time with him” and looked forward to seeing him again.
In another exchange two days later, Mr Desmond tried to arrange a meeting with the Housing Secretary on December 19 as well as a site visit to the Westferry Printworks, complaining about dealing with “Marxists”.
He wrote: “Good news finally the inspectors reports have gone to you today, we appreciate the speed as we don’t want to give Marxists loads of doe for nothing!
“We all want to go with the scheme and the social housing we have proposed and spent a month at the Marxist town hall debating, thanks again, all my best, Richard.”
Mr Jenrick replied declining a meeting until after a decision had been made due to his position.
He said: “As Secretary of State it is important not to give any appearance of being influenced by applicants of cases that I may have a role in or to have predetermined them and so I think it is best that we don’t meet until after the matter has been decided, one way of [sic] another ‐ and I can’t provide any advice to you on that, other than to say that I will receive advice from my officials after the general election assuming I remain in office and will consider it carefully in accordance with the rules and guidance.
Another message from Mr Desmond followed on December 23, saying: “Morning Robert How does the advice look? We have to get the approval before January 15 otherwise payment of 45 million pounds to tower hamlets (sic) meaning we have to stop and reduce social housing.”
According to the documents released by the Government, Mr Jenrick again did not reply and it was not until January 22 that he got back in touch, after he approved the development, overruling both Tower Hamlets Council and a planning inspector.
His message said: “Richard I hope you understood that I could not speak with you or have contact whilst I was making my decision with respect to the planning application at Westferry ‐ which was why I did not return your messages. Best wishes, Robert.”
Mr Desmond replied: “Robert I totally understand why we could not have contact with you or your department while you were making the decision. I have now pushed the button on a further £600million investment at the development as a result of the decision, enabling the social housing and market housing to more than double together with the delivery of the magnificent new school etc etc.
“This will create thousands of new jobs pretty much straight away ‐ as we are ‘on it’ and don’t hang around!!!”
That exchange, the final messages included in the documents, ended with the pair agreeing to a site visit in March.
According to the documents, the March site visit did not take place and no further communication followed because Mr Jenrick “did not take Mr Desmond’s calls” when he attempted to get in contact “on a number of occasions”.
Mr Jenrick has previously stated that he took the decision to approve the scheme “in good faith with an open mind”.
