Agenda item
Enterprise House, 21 Buckle Street, London, E1 8NN (PA/15/01141)
Proposal:
Demolition of existing 6 storey office building and erection of a ground plus 17 storey mixed use building (AOD 74.7m to parapet ) comprising 1,185sq.m of office space (B1 Use Class) and 106 (C1 Use Class) serviced apartments (2,985sq.m) together with ancillary facilities and associated cycle parking.
Recommendation:
That the Committee resolve to REFUSE planning permission for the reasons set out in the Committee report subject to any Direction by the London Mayor.
Minutes:
Update report tabled.
Paul Buckenham (Development Control Manager) introduced the item for the demolition of existing 6 storey office building and erection of a ground plus 17 storey mixed use building.
The Chair then invited registered speaker to address the Committee.
Roland Jeffery Director (Historic Chapels Trust) spoke in objection to the application. He objected to the impact on the area especially the nearby historic German school and church, given the height of the scheme and proximity to the boundary line. He also expressed concern about the appearance of the proposal and the impact on use of the church yard given the risk of objects falling from the proposed balconies above. Many of the historic societies objected to the application. The speaker then responded to questions of clarification from Members regarding the above.
Justin Kenworthy (Applicant’s Agent) spoke in support drawing attention to the site location. He highlighted the merits of the scheme in terms of delivering offices, hotel floor space, jobs and other improvements with ‘breathing space’ around the development. The plans would protect the setting of the listed buildings and the principle of taller developments in the immediate area had already been established. The church would form a focal point of the proposed arrangements of the buildings. Compared to other schemes, the impact on daylight and sunlight would be relatively minor in nature. In response to questions, the speaker clarified the proposed use.
Gareth Gwynne (Planning Officer, Development and Renewal) gave a detailed presentation on the application explaining the site location, (where the principle of tall buildings had not been established) showing views of the site from the surrounding area. Consultation had been carried out and the results and the issues raised were noted. He described the height, layout, design of the scheme and the measures to protect privacy. In terms of the land use, the proposal was acceptable.
The scheme was recommended for refusal for a number of reasons relating to the impact on the surrounding area, the serious harm to the nearby cluster of listed buildings, the impact on residential amenity due to the scheme’s overbearing nature amongst other matters. It was considered the negative aspects of the application outweighed the limited public benefits.
In response to questions from Members, Officers listed the proposed public benefits of the scheme including the financial contributions.
On a unanimous, the Committee RESOLVED:
That planning permission be REFUSED at Enterprise House, 21 Buckle Street, London, E1 8NN for the demolition of existing 6 storey office building and erection of a ground plus 17 storey mixed use building (AOD 74.7m to parapet ) comprising 1,185sq.m of office space (B1 Use Class) and 106 (C1 Use Class) serviced apartments (2,985sq.m) together with ancillary facilities and associated cycle parking (PA/15/01141) for the following reasons as set out in the Committee report subject to any Direction by the London Mayor:
1) The proposed development would cause substantial harm to the amenities and living conditions of occupiers of adjoining and adjacent residential properties through substantial loss of daylight and sunlight, significant loss of outlook, overbearing nature of the development including undue sense of enclosure. As such the development would be contrary to NPPF, as set out paragraphs 14, 17 and 56 of the NPPF and policies SP10 of the Core Strategy (2010) and DM25 of the Managing Development Document (2013) which seek to ensure that development does not result in unacceptable material deterioration of daylight and sunlight conditions for future and existing residents.
2) The proposed development exhibits clear and demonstrable signs of overdevelopment by virtue of:
a) its adverse amenity impacts to residential neighbours;
b) from its detrimental townscape impacts resulting from the proposed height, scale and mass of the development set on a small, tightly confined site situated upon a narrow street and set within an established lower scale urban street block;
c) the proposed developments unacceptable relationship to other tall development set to the east and north of the site that limits the opportunity to achieve a tall building on this site that is compatible with objectives of sustainable development and delivering high quality place-making within Aldgate.
As such the scheme would fail to provide a sustainable form of development in accordance with paragraphs 17, 56, 61 of the NPPF and would be contrary to the Development Plan, in particular policies 7.4, 7.5, 7.6 and 7.7 and 7.8 of the London Plan (2015), policies SP02, SP06, SP10 and SP12 of the Tower Hamlets’ Core Strategy (2010) and policies, DM23, DM24, DM25, DM26, DM27 the Tower Hamlets’ Managing Development Document and the Borough’s strategic framework guidance for the area set out in the Aldgate Masterplan Interim Guidance (2007), that taken as a whole, have an overarching objective of achieving place-making of the highest quality,
3) The proposed development would result in significant harm to the setting of the Grade II* listed St George’s German Church and to the Grade II listed Dispensary Building, the former St George’s German and English Schools, the former St George’s German and English Infants’ School by reason of the height, scale, mass of the development set in immediate proximity to these designated heritage assets and the developments impact upon local townscape views of this cluster of listed buildings. The public benefits associated with the proposal, include upgraded employment floorspace, additional short term visitor accommodation housing are not considered to overcome the harm to the setting of the neighbouring listed buildings.
As a result the proposal is not considered to be in accordance with paragraphs 128 to 134 of the NPPF and is contrary to Development Plan Policy 7.8 of the London Plan (2015), policies SP10 of the Core Strategy 2010 and DM24 and DM27 of the Managing Development Document 2013
4) In the absence of a legal agreement to secure agreed and policy compliant financial and non-financial contributions including for Employment, Skills, Training and Enterprise, Highways and Energy and Sustainability the development fails to mitigate its impact on local services, amenities and infrastructure. The above would be contrary to the requirements of Policies SP02 and SP13 of the LBTH Core Strategy, Policies 8.2 of the London Plan and the Planning Obligations SPD.
Supporting documents:
- Enterprise House Committee Report PA-15-0114 GG amends, item 6.4 PDF 4 MB
- Full page photo, item 6.4 PDF 1 MB