Asda Crossharbour District Centre
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STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 9th June 2021 Report of the Corporate Director of Place Classification: Unrestricted Application for Planning Permission Reference PA/19/02534 Site Asda – Crossharbour District Centre, 151 East Ferry Road, London, E14 3BT Ward Blackwall and Cubitt Town Proposal A hybrid planning application (part detailed, part outline) for the demolition of existing buildings and the comprehensive, mixed-use, re- development of the site, comprising a maximum of 218,991sqm (GEA) of floorspace. Full details are submitted for 526 residential units (Class C3), flexible commercial floorspace, including a new foodstore (17,087sqm GIA - A1-A4/B1), a primary school (D1), community uses (D1), public bus parking and a site wide basement, with associated uses as part of the development including car parking (up to 410 spaces), cycle parking, and an energy centre. Building heights would range between a maximum of 17.4m AOD (3 storeys above ground level) and 60m AOD (15 storeys above ground level). Creation of new vehicular and pedestrian access and public realm works, including all ground floor hard and soft landscaping and other works incidental to the proposals, including a programme of interim works (which include a temporary multi-storey car park with 349 car parking spaces and a temporary access lobby to the retail foodstore). Outline permission (with layout, scale, appearance and landscaping at upper levels being reserved) is sought for up to 111,137sqm GEA above podium level, comprising of between 1217 and 1446 residential units (C3), with associated private and communal podium amenity and landscaping, within four buildings with maximum heights ranging between up to 45.850m (AOD)/12 storeys and up to 115.50m (AOD)/32 storeys. [The application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement] Summary Grant planning permission with conditions and planning obligations Recommendation Applicant Ashbourne Beech Limited and Asda Stores Architect/ agent CZWG/ DP9 Case Officer Rikki Weir 1 Key dates - Application registered as valid on 06/01/2020 - Consultation (including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)) on 07/01/2020 - EIA Regulation 25 re-consultation on 01/06/2020 - Re-consultation in relation to amendments on 08/02/2021 - EIA Regulation 25 re-consultation on 22/01/2021 - EIA Regulation 25 re-consultation on 10/03/2021 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The application site is designated as a Site Allocation (Crossharbour Town Centre) earmarked for strategic housing-led redevelopment of the Crossharbour District Centre, providing retail floorspace and other compatible uses. In line with the Site Allocation, the proposal would provide a primary school, community/local presence facility as well as public squares, open spaces, green grid and local pedestrian and cycling routes. It is located within the Isle of Dogs and South Poplar Opportunity Area, where development proposals are expected to optimise the delivery of housing and employment numbers. The overall development would deliver up to 1,972 homes with 25% affordable housing (up to 370 affordable homes), 17,087sqm of flexible commercial (A1 – A4 and B1 use class) floorspace, reprovision and continuous trading of the anchor hypermarket, a 7,135sqm primary school (D1 use class), a 1,983sqm community hub (D1 use class), a 103sqm bus interchange, and a 17,793sqm underground car park. From a design perspective, it is considered that the proposed development responds positively to its context. The proposal has paid special attention to the areas of lower rise built form close to northern (Glengall Grove) and eastern (Friars Mead) boundaries, resulting in sensitive and neighbourly development. Officers have also worked closely with the applicant to ensure that impacts on Mudchute Park have been minimised and that development would step-down sufficiently in relation to its surroundings. In relation to transport matters, the proposed development seeks local connectivity improvements in line with the requirements of the Site Allocation policy. This includes significant financial contributions towards improved highways improvement works, bus connectivity around the site (including replacement bus interchange), improved cycling connectivity with Cycle Superhighway 3 (CS3), a Crossharbour DLR station upgrade, new Cycle Hire docking facilities, and East Ferry Road public realm improvements. The proposal would provide a pedestrianised series of interlinking public areas referred to as Urban Forest, Artway, Crossharbour Arcade, Central Stage, Fountain Square, Piazza, Play Street, Belvedere and Grand Stairs. The site would also include an improved pedestrian access to Mudchute Park, maintain pedestrian access from Glengall Grove, maintain controlled vehicular access to Island Health and controlled pedestrian access from Friars Mead. The proposed development would be a ‘car-free’ residential scheme, only allowing disabled persons residential car parking (60 spaces), whilst reducing commercial car parking spaces from 600 to 350 spaces and providing a policy compliant residential and commercial short and long stay total of 3,609 cycle parking spaces across the application site. Overall the development is considered to be acceptable in relation to highways matters. Despite extensive community engagement, the proposal would result in some impacts upon neighbouring residents from a daylight and sunlight perspective. Officers are satisfied that the scale and massing of the built form close to the boundary with existing residential development (at Glengall Grove and Friars Mead) has been designed sensitively to minimise such impacts. It is not considered that the development would result in any undue privacy, 2 outlook or sense of enclosure concerns to neighbours. Whilst officers have given careful consideration to these impacts and discussed them at length within the report, it should be acknowledged that such impacts are often an inevitable consequence of development that is required by policy to make a significant contribution to the delivery of housing, as is the case with this development, located within a Site Allocation, Tall Building Zone, and constituting redevelopment of the District Town Centre. Officers are required to balance the identified impacts with the public benefits of the wider scheme. In relation to sustainability matters, the scheme proposes to connect to the Barkantine district heating network which is a positive. The Energy Strategy would sufficiently reduce carbon dioxide emissions and additional carbon offsetting payment would be secured through the S106. The environmental impacts associated with the proposed development, as set out in detail in the Environmental Statement, have been fully considered. Officers are satisfied that any potential impacts that may arise from the construction or operation of the development can be sufficiently controlled and mitigated through the various recommended planning conditions and obligations. In terms of the ecological impacts of the scheme, the site is located directly adjacent to Mudchute Park, a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, and Local Nature Reserve. The site would not have any adverse overshadowing impacts on Mudchute Park due to its location to the north. However adverse impacts would stem from the necessary sewer realignment which would involve construction works on part of the park. Additional habitat restoration and enhancement works have been proposed, along with funding to the Mudchute Association, which would mitigate the construction impacts. Overall it has been concluded that the on-site and off-site mitigation and additional habitat creation would create a net biodiversity gain and would outweigh any potential harm from overshadowing. The on-site works would involve significant gains in biodiversity through additional trees, soft landscaping and biodiverse roofs, resulting in a development with an Urban Greening Factor of 0.4 providing an acceptable quality and quantum of greening in and around the site. With regard to the heritage impacts of the development, the proposal is considered to preserve the setting of nearby conservation areas and listed buildings. The proposal would be visible in long range strategic views from Greenwich and Tower Bridge. Overall it is considered that any harm to heritage assets would be less than substantial (at the lower end of the scale), which would be outweighed by the significant wider public benefits of the District Town Centre redevelopment. Considered as a whole, the proposed development delivers the requirements of the Site Allocation and accords with the Development Plan. It would make a significant contribution to the delivery of the Council’s housing targets and address the borough’s identified housing need. The scheme would be liable for both the Mayor of London’s and the Borough’s Community Infrastructure Levy. In addition, a number of planning obligations would be secured relating to employment and skills training, carbon offsetting, and transport network improvements. Overall the proposal is considered to be well designed; officers are satisfied that the proposed development would deliver a high quality, well integrated, inclusive and sustainable place. It is on this basis that the grant of planning permission, subject to conditions, is recommended. 3 SITE PLAN Planning Applications Site Map PA/19/02534 This site map displays the Planning Application Site Boundary and the extent of the area within which London neighbouring occupiers / owners were consulted