Plans for cruise ship terminal in Greenwich could be given green light amid pollution fears

 
“Jewel in the crown”: an artist’s impression of the London City Cruise Port
Flagship Consulting
Mira Bar-Hillel21 July 2015

Plans for a cruise ship terminal for London to transform the historic Greenwich riverside could be given the go-ahead today despite warnings from residents that diesel generators would worsen local pollution.

The Greenwich Society claimed the proposal could be devastating for the area and called for a proper environmental impact assessment.

But developers Westcourt Real Estate describe the Enderby Wharf project, a few hundred yards from Cutty Sark and Old Royal Naval College, as a “jewel in the crown” for Greenwich that would handle up to 60 cruise ships a year and create nearly 500 jobs.

Greenwich council has received only three letters of support for the plans, compared with 117 objections. But officers are recommending approval because of employment opportunities.

Objectors have demanded clean “shore-based power” for the cruise liners instead of the on-board diesel-fuelled generators planned. According to the developer’s own figures, generators on medium sized cruise ships consume about 700 litres of diesel per hour — equivalent to 400 idling lorries.

A decision on the plans has already been delayed once pending an environmental assessment, but opponents say the developer’s response contains no hard data on harmful nitrogen dioxide levels.

Ian Blore, of the East Greenwich Residents’ Association, said: “We’re not against the terminal, but we are against pollution and this plan will exacerbate pollution considerably.”

David Margason, managing director of Westcourt, said: “We are confident that London will become a key cruise destination.”

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