Agenda item
225 Marsh Wall, E14 9FW (PA/16/02808)
- Meeting of Strategic Development Committee, Thursday, 17th August, 2017 7.00 p.m. (Item 5.4)
- View the background to item 5.4
Proposal:
Full planning application for the demolition of all existing structures and the redevelopment of the site to provide a building of ground plus 48 storey (maximum AOD height 163.08m) comprising 332 residential units (Use Class C3); 810 square metres of flexible community/ office floorspace (use class D1/ B1); 79 square metres of flexible retail/restaurant/community (Use Class A1/A3/D1), basement cycle parking; resident amenities; public realm improvements; and other associated works.
The application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment.
Recommendation:
That subject to any direction by the London Mayor, planning permission is APPROVED subject to the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure planning obligations, conditions and informatives.
Minutes:
Update report tabled.
Jerry Bell (East Area Manager, Planning Services) introduced the application for the demolition of all existing structures and the redevelopment of the site to provide a building of ground plus 48 storeys comprising 332 residential units, flexible community/ office floorspace, retail/restaurant/community and associated works.
Kate Harrison (Planning Services) presented the report explaining the site location, the nearest local amenities, (existing and proposed), the emerging developments and the changes made to the application in relation to the height, number of units, the increase in affordable units, and the improved public realm and child play space. Consultation had been carried out and the results of the Council’s consultation was noted.
The Committee were advised that the proposal would deliver 25% affordable housing with a split of 64% (affordable rent) /36% (intermediate) with 50% of the affordable rent units at Tower Hamlets Affordable Rent and the other 50% at London Affordable Rent. 50% of the units within the affordable tenure would be family sized (3 bedrooms or more). The residential units would benefit from community space and child play space. All units would have private amenity space. There would be a slight under provision in under five child play space, but the applicant could make an area of the public open space in to play space should the permission be granted. The proposal included the reprovision of 810sqm of office space that would also benefit from being flexible B1 (office)/ D1 (community) space to help ensure occupation of the units.
The development would be of a high quality design with height stepping down from the Canary Wharf Major Centre. It would provide public open space that would link with the approved open space at Meridian Gate to the west. It was considered that the height would be appropriate for the area and preserve strategic views. Whilst there would be some impact on local views, on balance it could be considered that the benefits of the development would outweigh this.
The impact on neighbouring privacy and outlook would be acceptable given the separation distances. The impact on daylight and sunlight from this development in isolation would generally be negligible to minor adverse. There would be some moderate and major adverse impacts, but these could be attributed mostly to the design of the neighbouring properties impacted as well as the cumulative impacts from other surrounding developments, (and the proposed Skylines development), typical within an urban environment.
Subject to the recommended conditions and obligations, Officers were recommending that the planning permission was granted permission.
The Committee asked questions about access to the communal amenity space and the entrances to the affordable and private units. It was confirmed that the entrance to the affordable houses would be in a visible location and of a good quality design. All of the occupants of the development would have access the child play space at the second floor, but access to the communal space at the roof level would be restricted to the occupants of the private units. The scheme met all the amenity space requirements for the affordable housing.
The Committee also expressed concern about the overdevelopment of the Isle of Dogs given the cumulative impacts from developments on local infrastructure.
Officers responded that the plans would provide a D1 space that might provide a community facility and contributions for infrastructure including contributions for London Buses.
Members also asked questions about the affordable housing offer, the number of electric charge points within the development and also the fire safety measures. Officers reported that the viability of the application had been independently tested showing that the maximum level of affordable housing that the scheme could support had been secured. Fire safety issues were a matter for the building control service and the proposal would have to meet the required standards. Details of the electric charging points would be secured by condition.
The Committee also questioned whether the proposal complied with the stepping down policy from Canary Wharf given the pattern of development in the surrounding area and the height of the proposal. The Committee also asked about the special circumstances justifying the density of the proposal given it exceeded the density range in the London Plan.
Officers considered that the height of the scheme should provide an appropriate degree of transition between buildings moving away from Canary Wharf. The proposals also conformed with the South Quay Master Plan SPD that identified the site for a taller development and it was considered that any harmful impacts on local views would be outweighed by the merits of the application. It was considered that the scheme satisfied the tests in policy for high density applications given the merits of the scheme.
On a vote of 1 in favour of the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission, 6 against and 0 abstentions, the Committee did not agree the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission.
Accordingly, Councillor Marc Francis proposed a motion that the planning permission be not accepted (for the reasons set out below) and on a vote of 6 in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention the Committee RESOLVED:
That the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission be NOT ACCEPTED at 225 Marsh Wall, E14 9FW for the demolition of all existing structures and the redevelopment of the site to provide a building of ground plus 48 storey (maximum AOD height 163.08m) comprising 332 residential units (Use Class C3); 810 square metres of flexible community/ office floorspace (use class D1/ B1); 79 square metres of flexible retail/restaurant/community (Use Class A1/A3/D1), basement cycle parking; resident amenities; public realm improvements; and other associated works. (PA/16/02808)
The Committee were minded to refuse the application due to concerns over:
Overdevelopment of site due to the:
Height,
Density,
Impact on infrastructure
The failure of the proposal to provide an adequate transition between the higher rise commercial area to the north and the low-rise residential areas to the south and east
In accordance with Development Procedural Rules, the application was DEFERRED to enable Officers to prepare a supplementary report to a future meeting of the Committee setting out proposed detailed reasons for refusal and the implications of the decision
Supporting documents: