MSG Entertainment venue in the UK\u2019s capital city<\/a>, the group acted after Gove last week asked local officials \u201cnot to grant permission on the applications without specific authorisation\u201d by issuing a holding direction to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC). Gove\u2019s intervention comes after the LLDC last month signed off the MSG Sphere\u2019s external advertising.<\/p>\nIn a statement, AEG described Gove\u2019s intervention at this stage as \u201csignificant\u201d because he has the jurisdiction to block the development entirely. AEG claims that the LLDC\u2019s decision-making process has been seriously flawed and that the proposed LED-covered live music and entertainment venue will add congestion to the local public transport infrastructure and blot London\u2019s skyline.<\/p>\n
AEG has also questioned LLDC\u2019s role in the approval process with the organisation due to be disbanded next year.<\/p>\n
Alistair Wood, AEG Europe\u2019s executive vice-president real estate and development, said: \u201cSince these proposals first emerged back in 2017, AEG has consistently raised its objections to the unacceptable impact that this proposal will have on the operation of The O2 and the hundreds of residents who will be even more directly affected.\u201d<\/p>\n
A planning application for the MSG Sphere project was first submitted to the LLDC in March 2019. MSG Sphere would be located in Stratford, East London, and would have a scalable capacity of up to 17,500 seated, or 21,500 when there is a mix of seated and standing. The latter, in theory, would be greater than the official capacity of The O2.<\/p>\n
While many support the MSG Sphere venture and the role it could play in attracting more major acts to London and boosting competition, notable opposition has come from local elected officials and members of the public. A petition opposing the plans has been signed by thousands of local residents and there are vocal objections from local politicians including Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz and MP for West Ham, Lyn Brown.<\/p>\n
Brown added on Twitter<\/a>: \u201cLast year I wrote to the Government and Mayor of London about stopping the monstrous MSG Sphere. Michael Gove has now issued a legal notice and I\u2019m hoping he\u2019ll act. The undemocratic LLDC steamrolled all local elected opposition, so it\u2019s only right to take the final decision out of their hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n