n n n ‘. concat(e. i18n. t(“search. voice. recognition_retry”),’n
Mayor of Newham Rokshana Fiaz has launched a campaign to build housing on the five acres of land previously earmarked for a controversial spherical arena covered in a light-up display.
He said MSG’s removal from its Project Sphere app is “fantastic news” for Stratford residents.
“Newham is not Las Vegas and the design of the MSG Sphere, which would have been about 100 meters tall and 120 meters wide, would have led to a smooth and significant intrusion for the citizens living in the domain, as well as negative health impacts,” Fiaz said.
“Now we are going to make a crusade for the place to be designated a Housing and Employment Insertion Zone because we need our citizens to obtain advantages in terms of housing and employment that allow us to increase family income. “
Mayor Faiz, who campaigned against the Stratford Sphere, said it had always been unpopular with her constituents.
“Our citizens have made their opposition to the MSG Sphere transparent and I am proud that they have a council that is campaigning for their well-being,” she said.
“Our crusade has never been aimed at being anti-corporate, as we welcome investments in Newham that support our inclusive expansion ambitions.
“But the investment comes at the expense of the health and well-being of local residents. “
Newham has the highest rates of homelessness in the country, with one in 21 people experiencing homelessness according to Shelter.
The East London borough has been deeply affected by the UK’s property crisis, with assets costing more than seven times national income.
Rents have risen to 43 per cent in the borough since 2013, and Newham Council estimates that rents account for 43 per cent of residents’ wages, which are among the lowest in London.
Almost half of Newham residents are in poverty once their housing costs are paid, according to the council.
Nate Higgins, the Green party councillor for Stratford Olympic Park, has called for the site to be used for social housing.
“It’s time to come up with a proposal that helps solve Newham’s problems, not make them worse,” Higgins said.
“The site can and will be used for social housing to help solve Newham’s desperate housing crisis, and I call on Newham Council and the GLA [Greater London Authority] to work to make sure this happens. “
US sports company MSG – aka Madison Square Garden – originally submitted a proposal for a 21,000-capacity arena clad in LED screens in Stratford in 2018.
Working with designers Populous, MSG actually built the Sphere in Las Vegas, a $2. 3 billion, 20,000-seat domed stadium facing the Las Vegas Strip, complete with LED panels.
The light of the Las Vegas world can be seen from miles away, and the Stratford edition would have been taller than the 96-meter-tall Big Ben.
Residents’ concerns about mild pollutants were alleviated by planning inspectors’ suggestion that MSG would provide blackout curtains to citizens within a 150-meter radius of the stadium.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan rejected the planning application in November 2023 over the “significant light intrusion” the light-up façade would cause, commenting that it did not “constitute good and sustainable design”.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove attempted to overturn the resolution in December, writing to the London Legacy Development Corporation banning Khan’s refusal.
But MSG withdrew the construction request earlier this month.
A spokesperson said: “We have informed Mr Gove that our resolve to go ahead with our plans for Sphere in London stands and we will be involved in the appeals process.
“We would like to thank everyone who has worked to bring this task to London.
“We are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with forward-thinking cities around the world who are serious about bringing this next-generation entertainment experience to their communities. “