“Speedy approach” to planning brings TV show to Beckton

Newham Council pulled out all the planning stops to make sure a Channel Four cookery show is filmed in the borough.

Sainsbury’s made an application on November 30 for a temporary TV studio to be built in the Savacentre’s car park in Beckton.

In what the council described as its “speedy approach” to planning, the application was the subject of a public consultation for four weeks - advertised on the council’s website - and various public bodies such as English Heritage were informed along with eight neighbouring properties.

No councillors objected so the application skipped the planning committee stage and was subsequently approved by a senior planning officer on January 25.

Starting this month, “What’s Cooking? From the Sainsbury’s Kitchen” will be filmed daily from the purpose-built studio for 13 weeks, fronted by Ben Shephard and Lisa Faulkner, and the production company are looking for Newham residents to sit in the audience.

Cllr Conor McAuley, executive member for regeneration and strategic planning, described the move as “really impressive”.

He said: “We’ve proved the council can deliver to tight deadlines and brought a top TV programme to the borough as a result.

“This shows our planning team at their best and I congratulate them on their hard work.

“It proves our work to deliver the Games wasn’t a flash in the pan and the show will help raise the profile of Newham across the country.”