PDU Case Report XXXX/YY Date
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planning report D&P/1995a/01 Heron Quays West 25 July 2013 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no.PA/13/01150 Strategic planning application stage 1 referral Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008. The proposal Outline planning permission is sought with all matters reserved for the demolition of the existing buildings and structures, and construction of building of up to 130,642 sq.m. (GIA) comprising office (Use Class B1) and retail (Use Class A1-A5) uses along with a decked promenade to the West India Dock South, access and highways works, landscaping and other minor works. The applicant The applicant is South Quay Properties (wholly owned subsidiary of the Canary Wharf Group) and the architect is Adamson. Strategic issues The application raises strategic issues relating to town centre uses, tall buildings, heritage, urban design, access, blue ribbon network and transport. Recommendation That Tower Hamlets Council be advised that the application broadly complies with the London Plan, there are some outstanding issues that need to be resolved as set out in paragraph 66 of this report. Context 1 On 17 June 2013 the Mayor of London received documents from Tower Hamlets Council 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 26 July 2013 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 1B1c and 1C1c of the Schedule to the Order 2008: “Category 1B1 Development (other than development which only comprises the provision of houses, flats, or page 1 houses and flats) which comprises or includes the erection of a building or buildings— (c) outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 square metres. Category 1C1 Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of one or more of the following descriptions— (c) the building is more than 30 metres high and is outside the City of London.” 3 Once Tower Hamlets Council has resolved to determine the application, it is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision as to whether to direct refusal; take it over for his own determination; or allow the Council to determine it itself. 4 The environmental information for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 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 site is located in the northern part of the Isle of Dogs. West India Dock South is located to the south of the site and Heron Quays Road passes through the site. A canal is located at the eastern end of the application site, linking Middle Dock with South Dock. 7 The site was previously occupied by 11 buildings ranging from 3-4 storeys which were developed in 1987 (known as ‘the red sheds’). However, 9 of the 11 buildings were demolished in order to clear the site in preparation for the implementation of the 2008 planning permission on the site (see case history). 8 The remaining buildings on the site comprise office accommodation, including services/facilities provided by Skillsmatch, East London Business Place and UCATT (or the George Brumwell Learning Centre). 9 In terms of historic environment, the site does not fall within a conservation area but nearby conservation areas include Narrow Street, St Matthius Church, Poplar and All Saints Church. Part of the Grade I listed quay wall, copings and buttresses along the south edge of West India Middle Dock falls within the red line boundary of the site. 10 In land use policy terms the site is located in the preferred office location and the Canary Wharf Major Town Centre as designated in the Tower Hamlets Core Strategy. 11 The nearest section of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) is the A1203 Limehouse Link tunnel, approximately 550m northwest of the site. 12 Heron Quays Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station and Canary Wharf London Underground station (Jubilee line) are 190m and 300m to the east of the site respectively. Canary Wharf Crossrail station, 450m to the northeast, is currently under construction, with services due to begin in 2019. Five bus routes (135, 277, D3, D7 and D8) operate within 450m of the site. The site is also accessible via the Thames Clipper service from the Canary Wharf pier at Westferry Circus. 13 The Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) of the site is good and estimated at 5 out of a range of 1-6 (where 1 represents the lowest accessibility level and 6 the highest). page 2 Details of the proposal 14 Outline planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings and the redevelopment of the site to provide a new office building rising up to 191.5 m AOD. The building will be predominantly for office use (Use Class B1) but will potentially include some retail floorspace (Use Class A1 – A5) at ground floor level. It will also have the potential to provide basement car parking, on-site servicing and a decked promenade to the South Dock, as well as works to Bank Street. 15 All matters are reserved for future determination. This approach has been adopted in order to gain maximum flexibility by allowing a framework to allow the applicant to respond quickly to the needs of prospective future tenants without the need to obtain a new planning permission. 16 The application does however establish parameters for the scheme and sets design guidelines for the future development to comply with. In order to test the parameters an indicative scheme has been prepared and is set out in the design and access statement. 17 The floorspace parameters seek commercial floorspace of a minimum 82,761 sq.m. GEA and maximum 136,606 sq.m. GEA. Case history 18 In April 1992 a planning application (ref. T/92/0010) was granted for the redevelopment of the site (referred to as the Tarmac site) together with part of the South Dock comprising 134,705 sq.m. gross floorspace, consisting of 121,000 sq.m. office, 5,000 sq.m. retail and a new park. This application included 32 meter extension into the Dock. 19 More recently in April 2008 the former Mayor considered a planning application (PDU/1995/02) for redevelopment of the site for part-12, part-21 and part 33-storey office building, with three basement levels of retail floorspace and a subterranean pedestrian link to Jubilee Place retail mall and Canary Wharf underground station incorporating further retail accommodation, together with a 4-storey building for food and drink and education and training uses. 20 This application was broadly supported by the former Mayor and covered a wider area, and included the land to the west of this site. It remains extant as it was granted for a period of five years and expires on 17 December 2013. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 21 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Economic development London Plan; the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy; Employment Action Plan Urban design London Plan; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Character and Context, draft SPG; Housing SPG; London Housing Design Guide; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Play and Informal Recreation SPG Mix of uses London Plan Regeneration London Plan; the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy Crossrail London Plan; Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy Parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy Retail/town centre uses London Plan; draft Town Centres SPG page 3 Access London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) Equal opportunities London Plan; Planning for Equality and Diversity in London SPG; Equal Life Chances for All (Mayor’s Equalities Framework); Equalities Act 2010 Tall buildings/views London Plan, London View Management Framework SPG Historic Environment London Plan; World Heritage Sites SPG; Circular 07/09 Sustainable development London Plan; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG; Mayor’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy; Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy; Mayor’s Water Strategy Blue Ribbon Network London Plan 22 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area is Tower Hamlets Core Strategy 2010, the saved policies of the Tower Hamlets Unitary Development Plan 1998 and the 2011 London Plan. 23 The following are also relevant material considerations: The National Planning Policy Framework and Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework. The Tower Hamlets Managing Development Development Plan Document which has been agreed for publication by the Council. The Early Minor Alteration to the London Plan. Principal of development 24 The site falls within the Isle of Dogs Opportunity Area designated in the London Plan (Annex 1, Table A1.1, ref 14) which seeks an indicative employment capacity of an additional 110,000 jobs and 10,000 homes over the plan period. It is also within the Canary Wharf Major Town Centre and falls within Central Activities Zone (CAZ) policy objectives given it is recognised as a strategically significant part of London’s world city offer for financial media and business services.