LBTH RESEARCH URBAN STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISATION STUDY September 2009 INTRODUCTION 04 CHARACTERISATON OF PLACES 52 1 Purpose + aim of Study 05 5 Shoreditch 54 Policy context 06 Spitalfields 56 CONTENTS Bethnal Green 58 Globe Town 60 RESEARCH 10 Whitechapel 62 2 The physical order 11 Aldgate 64 The social order 18 Tower of London and St Katharine Docks 66 The visual order 20 Wapping 68 Summary of research 21 Shadwell 70 Stepney 72 HISTORICAL STRUCTURE 22 Limehouse 74 3 1755 24 Victoria Park 76 1809 25 Fish Island 78 1880 26 Bow 80 1938 27 Mile End 82 1968 28 Bromley-by-Bow 84 Historical summary 30 Bow Common 86 Poplar Riverside 88 Poplar 90 URBAN STRUCTURE TODAY 32 Leamouth 92 The situation today 33 Blackwall 94 4 The bigger picture 35 Canary Wharf 96 Paths 37 Millwall 98 Activity nodes 39 Cubitt Town 100 Public transport & social infrastructure network 41 Public space network 43 RECOMMENDATIONS 102 Urban block pattern 45 6 The future spatial directions 103 Urban edges 47 Recommended spatial strategy 105 Green landscape 49 Over-arching spatial recommendations 106 The places of today 50 0 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY 108 PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT LIST OF DIAGRAMS GLOSSARY OF TERMS This report has been prepared for the London Fig 1: Hamlets 1755 Districts: sections of the city recognisable as Borough of Tower Hamlets by Neil Double, Melissa Fig 2: Hamlets 1809 having a particular identifying character. Silvester and Matthew Randall. The report has been Fig 3: Hamlets 1880 written to inform the Local Development Framework Fig 4: Hamlets 1938 Edges: these are elements not used as paths or and other documents. Fig 5: Hamlets 1968 not always seen as paths, limiting movement e.g. Fig 6: Historic Hamlets building edge or canal. Fig 7: Tower Hamlets - London context Fig 8: Tower Hamlets - London context 2 Landmarks: these are external point references Fig 9: Tower Hamlets - Greater London context which people experience from the outside, often Fig 10: Hamlets Today buildings or structures. Fig 11: Paths diagram Fig 12: Paths and nodes Node: focal places, such as junctions of paths. Fig 13: Public transport Fig 14: Public space network Path: channels of movement, such as streets, al- Fig 15: Urban Block Pattern leys, footpaths, motorways, and so on. Fig 16: Urban form and landmarks Fig 17: Urban edges Public space network: a place that everyone has Fig 18: Town centres and commerce the right to visit without being excluded for Fig 19: Green landscape economic, social or cultural reasons. Fig 20: Development opportunities Fig 21: Spatial structure A Fig 22: Spatial structure B Fig 23: Spatial structure C Fig 24: Bethnal Green Fig 25: Poplar 03 INTRODUCTION 04 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Background statement Aim of study Structure of study Tower Hamlets is an important and spatially unique To identify, analyse and characterise the spatial The study is divided into several chapters. The first part inner-London borough, famous for its East End structure of the borough in order to help formulate sets out background research into urban structure and heritage, its vibrancy, and its multiculturalism. However, future spatial planning recommendations. public realm. Tower Hamlets is not without its challenges. Its spatial challenges, the growth agenda, widespread Study objective The second chapter sets out and analyses the historical regeneration and the value of the built environment are • To undertake a literature review, building a growth of the borough and its impact on the image, each of particular significance. knowledge framework to assist in analysis shape and identity of Tower Hamlets today. • To identify the historical growth of the borough since Historical growth has significantly shaped the physical 1700 and build into this the knowledge framework The third chapter presents a present-day borough-wide morphology of Tower Hamlets. The Hamlets grew around • To perform a structural analysis of the borough based analysis from a series of urban design perspectives, key movement routes and connections between the upon this knowledge framework including movement routes and block pattern. This East of England, the City of London and the Thames. • To perform a brief characterisation of the places that borough-wide analysis, alongside the historical analysis, Each hamlet was distinctive, having its own economic constitute the borough provides a basis on which to present the places of function, purpose and role to play, and eventually these • To present a series of spatial planning today. hamlets began to merge together to form part of the recommendations greater London metropolis. These places of today are then explored and analysed Study methodology in brief, illustrated character assessments, setting out the The connection to these distinctive places and their historical and built processes that have come to form centres has been lost over the years since the Second This study aims to identify, analyse and characterise the townscape and identity of that place. World War. The function, variety and role of each place the urban form and structure of the borough. By has gradually weakened, with their centres being advocating an urban design led approach, a detailed Chapter five draws together all the previous analysis to dispersed, fragmented and loosened. This has had an understanding of the qualities and character of the present a series of recommendations for spatial planning impact on social cohesion and interaction and has borough can be presented. in Tower Hamlets. contributed to the loss of a shared sense of place, a connection to our history, its distinctiveness and identity. Guidance from a number of key urban design sources This study provides part city analysis and part has been used, including: Urban Design Compendium characterisation of the borough. It is rooted in an (1 and 2)1, By Design: Urban Design in the Planning appreciation and understanding of urban design and System – Towards Better Practice2 and Towards an Urban how it can assist in creating locally distinct spatial Renaissance3. These key documents, alongside a wider planning. It is therefore not exhaustive in its scope, but literature review on urban structure, have informed a is selective in its critique, appropriate to the needs of series of criteria that have been used to analyse the supporting the creation of a spatial Core Strategy DPD. structure and form of the borough. 1 Urban Design Compendium 1 and 2, English Partnership and Housing Corporation 2 By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System – Towards Better Practice: DETR 3 Towards an Urban Renaissance, Urban Task Force 05 URBAN STRUCTURE STUDY POLICY CONTEXT National Guidance By Design: Urban Design in the Planning System – Urban Design Compendium Towards Better Practice Using urban design as a tool to create high-quality, This document expanded greatly upon By Design and liveable, balanced communities has become a This document placed urban design at the heart of provided detail and examples of a number of good significant factor in national government policy the planning and development process, arguing that urban design principles, it has shaped and guided guidance – some of which is discussed below. good design should be the aim of all those involved in development significantly since it was produced jointly the development process and should be encouraged by English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation. Planning Policy Statement 1 everywhere. It placed urban design and the tools and knowledge PPS1 states that “good planning ensures that we get It also placed a strong emphasis on “placemaking” it yields at the forefront of making successful, thriving the right development, in the right place, at the right – bringing together different actors and factors that places across the different scales: from the detailed and time”. This should form the components of a strategic, influence the development of place at the earliest stage local to the strategic. coherent planning framework. of the process, in order to create places that work. “Urban design is about creating a vision for an area and One of the more relevant principles from PPS1 reminds The qualities of place were identified as: then deploying the skills and resources to realise that us to ensure that “development supports existing • a place with its own identity vision” communities and contributes to the creation of safe, • a place where public and private spaces are clearly sustainable, liveable and mixed communities with good distinguished Urban Design Compendium questions the success of access to jobs and key services for all members of the • a place with attractive and successful outdoor areas modern post-war development, its failure to create community”. Planning needs to recognise its role in • a place that is easy to get to and move through great places, instead producing banal, monotonous helping creating places, communities that will stand • a place that has a clear image and is easy to development, humdrum in design and dominated by the test of time, where people want to live, and which understand traffic. It highlights the need to appreciate the context will enable people to meet their aspirations and their • a place that can change easily of areas in order to shape and develop local identity, potential. • a place with variety and choice and places that people value and feel proud of. Additionally, Urban Design Compendium makes strong Local Development Frameworks need to provide a reference to understanding and creating the urban robust structure to assist in the creation of sustainable structure, by which is meant... communities based upon a shared vision, and a clear strategy of how to achieve that vision. PPS1 states that: “Good design should contribute positively to making places better for people. Design which is inappropriate in its context, or which fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area and the way it functions, should not be accepted.” 06 INTRODUCTION “..