Robert Jenrick to face grilling over approval of Tory donor's £1bn property development

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Embattled housing secretary Robert Jenrick is to face a grilling in front of live TV cameras on his decision - later overturned - to overrule a local council and planning inspectors to approve a £1bn property development by a billionaire Tory donor. “We need to ensure that the fresh re-determination is undertaken with due process and a fair hearing for all sides.” The appearance comes after chair Clive Betts wrote to Mr Jenrick to inform him that the cross-party committee does not regard the Westferry issue as "closed" and presented him with a list of 26 outstanding questions which the MPs want answered, relating to the decision itself and the dinner and subsequent contacts with Mr Desmond. It would be against public law principles of natural justice and fairness for a public authority to benefit financially by deliberately slowing down planning applications.” The Housing Secretary repeated his previous statement that he had refused to discuss the application with Mr Desmond when the pair shared a table with representatives of a construction company involved in the scheme at a Conservative fund-raising dinner in November. Defending his decision to approve the plan to build 1,500 homes on a former print works site, Mr Jenrick told the committee: “The revised scheme would have provided more than double the number of affordable housing units than the consented scheme.