Gove Pauses Khan’s Planning Rejection

The UK’s levelling up secretary, Michael Gove, has ordered a six week pause to determine whether he should have the final say on proposals for the MSG Sphere in Stratford, East London.

London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, rejected the controversial plans for this Las Vegas-style entertainment venue after a review, commissioned by The GLA and carried out by WSP, “identified significant errors and omissions in the applicant’s assessment” and claimed that the lights from the sphere would have “significant adverse effects” for those living in nearby buildings.

Gove has the power to overrule Khan and greenlight the development if he considers the plans appropriate and his department has written to the LLDC directing it to hold off from implementing the mayor’s decision.

The MSG Sphere is proposed for a site near the Olympic Park in Stratford and, if built, it would be 90 metres tall and 120 metres wide.  It would be the second MSG Sphere to be following the one in Las Vegas. Both have been designed by Populous.

The WSP report also claimed “significant concerns” about the MSG Sphere’s height, massing and bulk, as well as that due to its high energy usage, the building would not be sustainable