Bishopsgate Goodsyard
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o o planning report D&P/1200b&c/03 Bishopsgate Goodsyard 23 September 2015 in the London Boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets Planning application no. 2014/2425 & PA/14/020 o Strategic planning application: Request that the Mayor become the Local Planning Authority Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 The proposal An OUTLINE application submitted to both Councils for the comprehensive mixed use redevelopment of the site comprising: - Residential (C3) - up to 1,356 residential units - Business use (B1)- up to 65,859 sq.m (GIA) - Retail, financial and professional services, restaurants and cafes and hot food takeaway (A1, A2, A3 and A5) - up to 17,499 sq.m (GIA) of which only 2,184 sq.m can be A5. - Non-residential institutions (D1)- up to 495 sq.m (GIA) - Assembly and leisure (D2) - up to 661 sq.m (GIA) - Public conveniences (sui generis) - up to 36 sq.m (GIA) - Ancillary and plant space - up to 30,896 sq.m (GIA) - Basement – up to 8,629 sq.m (GIA) - Formation of a new pedestrian and vehicular access and means of access and circulation within the site - Provision of 22,642 sq.m of new public open space and landscaping The application proposes a total of 12 buildings that range in height from 23.6 m AOD to 177.6m AOD. All matters reserved save for FULL DETAILS submitted for alterations to and partial removal of existing structures on the site and the erection of three buildings for residential use (C3), namely plot C (ground level plus 26-30 storeys plus plant), plot F (ground level plus 46 storeys, plus plant), plot G (ground level plus 38 storeys plus plant) comprising a total of 940 residential units, retail/food/drink uses (A1, A2, A3, A4) and ground and basement level of the Braithwaite Viaduct for retail/food/drink/community uses (A1, A2, A3, A5, D1). Works to and use of the Oriel and adjoining structures for retail/food/drink uses (A1, A2, A3, A5). Separate connected listed building consent applications have been submitted to each Council. The applicant The applicant is Bishopsgate Goodsyard Regeneration Limited. The architects are Farrells, PLP Architecture, FaulknerBrown Architects, Space Hub, Chris Dyson Architects, and Peter page 1 Connell Associates. Strategic issues Bishopsgate Goods Yard is a key development site within the City Fringe Opportunity Area and Central Activities Zone. The provision of jobs and homes on a site vacant for over 50 years is strongly supported in principle, although there were a number of issues raised in the Mayor’s Stage 1 Report of 12 December 2014 and in the update report of 9 September 2015. The statutory 16 week determination period expired on 29 December 2014 and 31 December 2014 without a determination by either Tower Hamlets or Hackney Councils. The applicant wrote to the Mayor on 15 September 2015 requesting that he take over determination of the applications from both Hackney and Tower Hamlets Councils. Recommendation That the Mayor takes over the determination of the planning applications and connected listed building applications and becomes the local planning authority. Context 1 On 15 September 2015, DP9 on behalf of the applicant Bishopsgate Goodsyard Regeneration Limited, wrote to the Mayor (copy of letter attached) requesting, pursuant to para 7(6) of the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008, that the Mayor become the local planning authority for the application. Case history 2 On 18 October 2014 the Mayor of London received documents from Tower Hamlets Council and on 20 October 2014 the Mayor of London received documents from Hackney Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. The application was referred to the Mayor under the following Categories of the Schedule to the Order 2008: 1A: Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats or houses and flats. 1B: Development (other than development which only comprises the provision of houses, flats or houses and flats) which comprises or includes the erection of a building or buildings….in Central London (other than the City of London) and with a total floorspace of more than 20,000 square metres. 1C: Development which comprises or incudes the erection of a building of….more than 30 metres high and is outside the City of London. 4: Development subject to a Direction of the Secretary of State, in this case development within the background assessment area of Strategic Views 8A.1 and 9A.1 3 On 12 December 2014 the Mayor considered planning report D&P/1200b&c/01, and subsequently advised Hackney and Tower Hamlets Councils that while the application was generally acceptable in planning terms, further details were required on land use, housing and affordable housing, impact on world heritage site and heritage assets, urban design and tall buildings, inclusive design, sustainable development and transportation. These issues were summarised in paragraph 161 of the above mentioned report. page 2 4 A copy of the above-mentioned report is attached. 5 On 9 July 2015 the Mayor received notification from Tower Hamlets Council and Hackney Council that they had received amended plans for the planning application, and was inviting further comments on those amendments. On 9 September 2015 the Mayor planning report D&P/1200b&c/02, and subsequently advised Hackney and Tower Hamlets Councils that he welcomed the amendments that had been made, particularly the increase in employment floorspace and the reduction in the height of the towers, but that the issues set out in paragraph 89of that report, as well as those outstanding from the original stage I should be addressed, in particular the affordable housing offer. 6 A copy of the above-mentioned report is attached. 7 The 16 week statutory period for determination expired on 29 December 2014 and 31 December 2014 in Tower Hamlets and Hackney respectively. The Councils are currently looking to co-ordinate extra committees to consider the application in November. 8 The site has been subject to a long planning history dating back to 2007 when the applicant commenced discussions with the boroughs and the GLA. In recognition of the strategic importance of this cross boundary site within a sensitive part of Central London discussion on an emerging scheme were put on hold while a masterplan was prepared. The applicant worked with the two boroughs and the GLA to prepare an Interim Planning Guidance (IPG) for the site. 9 The IPG was adopted by the boroughs and the GLA in late 2009 and published in 2010. 10 The applicant re-commenced pre-application discussions in May 2013 and the application was submitted in July 2014. In response to consultation revisions to the application were submitted in June 2015. Article 7: Direction that the Mayor is to be the local planning authority 11 This report informs the Mayor of the test to be applied in considering whether to become the local planning authority. The initial policy test regarding the Mayor’s power to take over and determine applications referred under categories 1 and 2 of the schedule to the 2008 Order is a decision about who should have jurisdiction over the application, rather than whether planning permission should ultimately be granted or refused. Article 7 sets out the criteria which must be satisfied before the Mayor may direct that he is to be the local planning authority in respect of a particular planning application: The policy test consists of the following three parts, all of which must be met in order for the Mayor to take over planning applications: (a) the development or any of the issues raised by the development to which the PSI application relates is of such a nature or scale that it would have a significant impact on the implementation of the spatial development strategy; (b) the development or any of the issues raised by the development to which the application relates has significant effects that are likely to affect more than one London Borough; and (c) there are sound planning reasons for issuing a direction. 12 Article 7(1)(a) relates to whether the development has a significant impact upon the London Plan and (b) relates to the geographical extent of the impact, whilst part (c) deals with the planning reasons for the Mayor’s intervention. These criteria are intended to ensure that the Mayor only intervenes in important and exceptional cases. o page 3 13 This report considers the extent to which the criteria under Article 7(1) apply in this case and whether, therefore, the Mayor should direct that he is to be the local planning authority, applying the criteria set out under Article 7(3) of the 2008 Order. This report does not consider the merits of the applications, although regard has been given to the key planning issues in respect of assessing the policy test in Article 7(1) c, as set out below. Criterion 7(1) (a): Significant impact on the implementation of the London Plan 14 There are significant impacts on the implementation of the London Plan for the reasons set out in the following paragraphs. Opportunity Area and Interim Planning Guidance 15 The London Plan sets a minimum target of 70,000 new jobs and 8,700 new homes for the City Fringe Opportunity Area. Bishopsgate Goodsyard is one of the largest sites within the OA and is recognised as having the potential to deliver a significant number of jobs and homes. The revised application estimates some 6,000 jobs (under the minimum parameter plans) and up to 1,356 new homes (8.5% and 15.5% of the OA targets respectively).