Minoco Wharf, Silvertown
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planning report PDU/0056c&0056d/01 16 November 2011 Minoco Wharf, Silvertown in the London Borough of Newham and the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation planning application nos. 11/00844/LTGOUT and 11/00856/OUT Strategic planning application stage 1 referral (new powers) Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 The proposal The applications are for a hybrid application on the 17.23 hectare site as follows: Outline planning application for comprehensive mixed use redevelopment of the whole site for up to 363,000 sq.m. GEA comprising: -Retail (A1) not exceeding 3,250 sq.m. (GEA) -Financial and professional services (a2) not excedding 750 sq.m. (GEA) -Restaurant and cafes (A3), drinking establishments (A4) and hot food takeaways (A5) not exceeding 1.500 sq.m. GEA - Business use (B1 (A), (B), (C). not exceeding 15,000 sq.m. GEA, of whoch not more thatn 5,000 sq.m. GEA will be offices B1(a) - Residential up to 329,000 sq.m. GEA and not exceeding 3,385 residential units -Non-residential institutions (D1) 9,600 sq.m. GEA -Assembly and leisure (D2) not excedding 3,000 sq.m. GEA Together with: - demolition of all exisiting building - vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access from North Woolwich Road - Public realm, public open space and private amenity space - Covered parking areas, plant, storage and an energy centre (not exceeding 68,550 sq.m.) - On street parking - Landscaping - River wall works Detailed planning permission for the 6.21 hectare eastern portion of the site for 95, 065 sq.m. GEA comprising: - 811 residential units (91, 189 sq.m. GEA) - 3, 326 sq.m GEA mixed use floorspace (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, C3, D1, and D2) - 380 sq.m. B1(a) office - 170 sq.m. ancillary plant (above basement) - Associated highway infrastructure, river wall and public realm works And in respect of the remainder of the site approval of layout and access page 1 The applicant The applicants are Clearstorm Ltd. and Heracles Ltd. and the architects are Glenn Howells and Feilden Clegg Bradley Strategic issues The principle of this large scale residential led mixed use development is supported. The design is of a high standard and responds well to its context. Although the density is above London Plan guidelines it is acceptable subject to further discussions on housing quality. Further discussion and information is needed on housing and affordable housing, inclusive design, flood risk, blue ribbon network, climate change, noise , air quality and transport. Recommendation That Newham Council, also acting on behalf of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation in respect of 11/00844/LTGOUT, be advised that the application generally complies with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 215 of this report; but that further discussions and information is needed on the areas set out in paragraph 216 of this report. Context 1 On 18 October 2011 the Mayor of London received documents from Newham Council, and Newham Council acting on behalf of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC), notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. Under the provisions of The Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor has until 28 November 2011 to provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. 2 The application is referable under Category 1A, 1B, 1C and 3B of the Schedule to the Order 2008: Category 1A: Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats; Category 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 building outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 square metres; Category1C: (1a) Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of … more than 25 metres high and is adjacent to the River Thames; and Category 3B: Development—(a) which occupies more than 4 hectares of land which is used for a use within Class B1 (business), B2 (general industrial) or B8 (storage or distribution) of the Use Classes Order; and (b) which is likely to prejudice the use of that land for any such use. 3 Once the two local planning authorities have resolved to determine the application, each is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision as to whether to direct refusal; take it over page 2 for his own determination; or allow the Council to determine it itself. In the case of the LTGDC, the Mayor may decide whether to direct refusal or allow the Corporation to determine it itself. 4 The environmental information for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 has been taken into account in the consideration of this case. 5 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 6 The application site covers a total area of 17.23 hectares. Once highway land at North Woolwich Road is excluded the ‘development area’ covers 15.2 hectares. The site comprises the former Minoco, Venesta and Crescent Wharves and is bounded by North Woolwich Road (which forms part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN)) to the north, the River Thames to the south, the residential development of Barrier Point to the east and Deanston Wharf to the west. The planning application boundary excludes the Kierbeck site adjacent to North Woolwich Road as this is in separate ownership. 7 Minoco Wharf was developed as a chemical works at the end of the nineteenth century and was used for the manufacture of TNT during the First World War. Subsequent to this the site was used by Shell UK as an oil storage and refining site. This use ceased in the 1990s and the site has been cleared and remediated and is currently vacant. Minoco Wharf was safeguarded under the 1995 safeguarding direction. However following a joint report by the GLA and PLA looking at safeguarded wharves on the Thames in 2003 the safeguarding was lifted in June 2005. 8 Crescent and Venesta Wharves lie to the west of Minoco Wharf. They were initially developed as chemical works in the 1890s and then redeveloped for low intensity warehousing and industry. Many of the buildings are vacant and those in use are either on short leases of are used by the Ballymore Group to service other construction sites. Neither of these wharves have ever been safeguarded. 9 Barrier Point residential development, comprising 7-8 storey blocks with an 18 story tower to the river front, abuts the site to the east and turns its back on the site. Barrier Park is to the east of Barrier point. 10 To the north of the site are located a number of warehouses and former industrial buildings. To the north west of the site is Brittania Village which was built in the 1990’s and to the north-east is the Silvertown Quays site. 11 The nearest sections of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) are the A13 at Canning Town, approximately 2km to the north, and the A117 Pier Road, located approximately 2.5km to the east of the site. 12 Two Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations are within walking distance of the site: Pontoon Dock, 150m to the north east corner of the site, and West Silvertown, 250m to the north west corner. The site is currently served by one bus route, the 474, with the nearest stops along North Woolwich Road which are located by Pontoon Dock DLR station, at the north west corner by Boxley Road, and also a westbound only stop opposite Mill Road. 13 As such, it has been estimated that the site records a low Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) of 1-2, on a scale of 1 to 6, where 1 is classed as very poor. The PTAL decreases page 3 from 2 to 1 moving south across the site. The detailed area of the scheme at the east of the site records a PTAL of 2. Details of the proposal 14 The site is located wholly within the London Borough of Newham however the western part of the site falls within the administrative area of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. As such separate, but identical, planning applications have been submitted to each authority. 15 The applications are for a hybrid application on the 17.23 hectare site as follows: Outline planning application for comprehensive mixed use redevelopment of the whole site for up to 363,000 sq.m. GEA comprising: -Retail (A1) not exceeding 3,250 sq.m. (GEA) -Financial and professional services (a2) not exceeding 750 sq.m. (GEA) -Restaurant and cafes (A3), drinking establishments (A4) and hot food takeaways (A5) not exceeding 1.500 sq.m. GEA - Business use (B1 (A), (B), (C). not exceeding 15,000 sq.m. GEA, of which not more than 5,000 sq.m. GEA will be offices B1(a) - Residential up to 329,000 sq.m. GEA and not exceeding 3,385 residential units -Non-residential institutions (D1) 9,600 sq.m. GEA -Assembly and leisure (D2) not exceeding 3,000 sq.m.