The Central Area Good Growth SPD provides supplementary guidance on the design of residential developments on small sites that respect and enhance the well-established character of the Central Area, as set out in the Tower Hamlets Local Plan 2031 (adopted January 2020), in particular policies S.DH1- Delivering High Quality Design, S.H1: Meeting housing needs and D.H3: Housing standards and quality. The SPD also provides supplementary guidance on achieving the vision set out by the Local Plan for the sub-area: Central. Furthermore, the SPD seeks to help to deliver the Mayor’s manifesto pledges to improve the quality and fairness of housing and make development work for local people.

The Central Area Good Growth SPD has been through an extensive preparation process that included evidence-base gathering - including mapping and compilation of existing small sites in the Central Area, early-stage online survey, workshops
With Council services and industry professionals ¬(July-December 2020); preparation of draft document (March 2020-December 2020) and public consultation (January-February 2021). A wide range of community groups, residents, architects, developers and other stakeholders engaged with the Central Area Good Growth SPD and made formal responses as part of the consultation process.

It is now necessary to adopt the Central Area Good Growth SPD to further enable clear and robust guidance to inform and be implemented in development proposals which will ensure that existing character is respected and enhanced and by new residential developments and that these have high-quality standards to meet existing and future needs in accordance with corporate and Council objectives and the development Plan (Local Plan and London Plan).