The Planning Inspectorate has now advised, but regrettably it seems only to those parties who are represented by Counsel, that the Inquiry has been postponed until October/November 2024.

The Case Manager will gather dates of availability of all parties concerned to set up a new timetable. What this means in practice is arranging the hearing for the convenience of their Counsel and expert witnesses.

The Mortlake Brewery Community Group state on their site, though it is not reported elsewhere, that the Inspectorate have directed Richmond Council to arrange a new venue nearer Mortlake and to have live-streaming facilities available given the level of local interest and representations.

This follows objections to Council plans to hold the Inquiry at the Exchange opposite their offices in Twickenham and to avoid streaming the hearing so that the wider public could more easily hear the evidence.

Too much of this case is shrouded in mystery. You will not find anything of current relevance on google. It is all old news blocking anything of real interest. The Council good newssheet declines to comment; Sarah Olney’s weekly newsletter has refused to mention the Inquiry at all.

You could if you had a couple of weeks to spare go the website of the Inspectorate’s agents at https://gateleyhamer-pi.com/en-gb/stag-brewery/inquiry-venue/ and read the 400 or so documents filed. But you might find them rather abstruse. You might find it easier to focus on the MBCG evidence which covers urban design and planning, the heritage that could be lost, the need for a secondary school and the transport implications of the development.

There needs to be a more open debate and we should not have to wait for that until the autumn.