Agenda item
Former Beagle House (now known As Maersk House), Braham Street, London, E1 8EP (PA/15/01209)
- Meeting of Strategic Development Committee, Thursday, 27th August, 2015 7.00 p.m. (Item 6.2)
- View the background to item 6.2
Proposal:
Demolition of all existing structures and erection of a mixed use development comprising flexible retail floorspace (2,010sq.m) at ground level (Use Classes A1-A3), with office (Use class B1) floorspace above (33,459 sq.m (GIA) contained within a single building of ground floor plus 17 storeys (and an additional two storeys of enclosed plant at roof level and two basement levels) allowing for a maximum height of 88.15m AOD to parapet, and associated public realm landscaping.
Recommendation:
That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to any direction by The London Mayor, the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure planning obligations and conditions and informatives.
Minutes:
Gareth Gwynne (Development Management - Case Officer) presented a report that outlined the site location and the existing site use. The Committee noted that the development would require the Demolition of all existing structures and erection of a mixed use development comprising flexible retail floorspace (2,010sq.m) at ground level (Use Classes A1-A3), with office (Use class B1) floorspace above (33,459 sq.m (GIA) contained within a single building of ground floor plus 17 storeys (and an additional two storeys of enclosed plant at roof level and two basement levels) allowing for a maximum height of 88.15m AOD to parapet, and associated public realm landscaping. The main points of the discussion on this application maybe summarised as follows:
The Committee noted that:
• The impact of the proposal upon these London View Management Framework (LVMF) views had been subject of considerable discussion with officers both during pre-application discussions and since submission;
• The Council’s Environmental Impact Assessment - Screening & Scoping Opinions had concluded the proposed development is considered to likely lead to significant effects on views of the White Tower which is situated within the Tower of London and London Wall Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Screening Opinion also considered that the proposed development is likely to lead to significant effect on views looking north east from within the Inner Ward and the north Wall Walk of the Tower of London.
• There had been a number of planning application representations including the Corporation of London, Historic England and Historic Royal Places with comments on the effect of the scheme on heritage assets, and in particular effects on the views of the Tower of London World Heritage Site. All three aforementioned consultation bodies raised concerns regarding the adverse effects of the scheme on LVMF 25A.2 and 25A.3 and objected accordingly. Historic England had also queried that there did not appear sufficient public benefits been included as part of this submission to offset (justify) this harm. Accordingly, following the receipt of revisions comprising of a one storey reduction and revised wireframe visualisation drawings for the revised scheme, these three consultation bodies individually concluded the proposed development would reduce the adverse effect on these LVMF views, and removed their respective objections.
• There are no existing residential neighbours in close proximity to the proposed building scheme (i.e. within 28m) to the development. The Aldgate Place development when complete will provide the nearest residential neighbour set at a minimum 15.5m distance. This separation distance will be set across a busy arterial road and within this context it is not considered that the minimum separation distance poses any unduly significant additional privacy issues to neighbouring future residents.
• The applicant has also agreed to mitigate the site specific impacts of the development including an upgrade to the public realm on Half Moon Passage and Camperdown Street; provide 14 construction phase and 7 end phase apprenticeships; provide market discounted affordable rent incubator space for small enterprises, delivered by an affordable workspace with individual office/desk space let on a flexible letting basis including very short term contractual lets; and has also offered to use reasonable endeavours to meet at least 20% local procurement of goods and services, 20% local labour in construction and 20% end phase local jobs.
• The development as with all tall buildings can have an impact upon the microclimate, particularly in relation to wind. Where strong winds occur as a result of a tall building it can have detrimental impacts upon the comfort and safety of pedestrians and cyclists. It can also render landscaped areas unsuitable for their intended purpose. Accordingly, mitigation measures are proposed including a canopy of trees flanking either side of Half Moon Passage. Furthermore detailed mitigation measures will be required as part of a planning condition, informed by the detailed results of the wind tunnelling modelling of the scheme, and a comprehensive set of mitigation measures need to be provided to the local planning authority and included in the finalised design details of the scheme in terms of treatment of the elevations, landscaping and detailing of the roof terraces for approval.
• That the London Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) became operational from 1 April 2012 and would be payable on this scheme. The approximate net Mayoral CIL contribution is estimated to be around £2,312,360 (Crossrail minus Mayoral CIL). In addition, this application is also subject to the Borough’s Community Infrastructure Levy, which came into force for application determined from 1st April 2015. This is a standard charge, based on the net floor space of the proposed development, the level of which is set in accordance with the Council’s adopted CIL charging schedule. The estimated chargeable Borough CIL contribution for this development is approximately £2,259,350.
Accordingly, the Committee on vote of 6 in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention, it was RESOLVED:
1 That the Committee resolve to grant planning permission subject to:
A. Any direction by The London Mayor
B. The prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the following section 106 planning obligations:
Financial Obligations:
a) A contribution of £678,979 towards end user employment, skills, training;
b) A contribution of £157,684 towards construction phase skills and training;
c) A contribution of £448,200 towards Carbon Offsetting; and
d) A contribution towards monitoring, in accordance with emerging Planning Obligations SPD.
Total Contribution financial contributions £1,284,863, plus monitoring contribution.
Non-financial contributions
e) Public realm/shared surface treatment improvements on Camperdown Street and Half Moon Passage;
f) Provision of 1,210sq.m of flexible lease affordable rent workspace for the life of development;
g) At least 14 apprenticeships to be delivered during the construction phase of the development;
h) At least 7 apprenticeships during end-user phase to be delivered over the first 3 years of occupation;
i) Developer to exercise best endeavours to ensure 20% of the construction phase workforce will be residents of the Borough;
j) 20% of goods/service during construction to be procured from businesses in Tower Hamlets;
k) Permanent public access/walking route across Half Moon Passage from Camperdown Street and Braham Street; and
l) License with Transport for London for oversailing highway.
That the Corporate Director Development & Renewal is delegated power to negotiate the legal agreement indicated above. If by the date nominated in the Planning Performance Agreement the legal has not been completed, the Corporate Director development & Renewal is delegated power to refuse planning permission.
That the Corporate Director Development & Renewal is delegated power to
impose conditions and informatives on the planning permission to secure the
matters set out in the committee report.
Supporting documents:
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Beagle House PA-15-01209 July SDC 2015 Report Final Version, 21/07/2015 Strategic Development Committee, item 6.2
PDF 6 MB
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Update Beagle Street, item 6.2
PDF 49 KB