Arrowhead Quay, Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Planning Application No
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
planning report PDU/0018c/01 6 March 2013 Arrowhead Quay, Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no. PA/12/03315 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 Erection of two buildings of 55 and 50 storeys to provide 792 residential units and ancillary uses plus ground floor retail uses, provision of ancillary amenity space, landscaping, public dockside walkway and pedestrian route, basement car park, servicing and a new vehicular access. The applicant The applicant is Ballymore and the architect is Glen Howells. Strategic issues The development of this excellent quality residential scheme is welcomed and is broadly in line with London Plan policy. The land use principle is accepted and the height of the buildings have an acceptable impact on strategic views. Further discussion is needed on affordable housing, noise, sustainable development and transport. Recommendation That Tower Hamlets Council be advised that the application is generally acceptable in strategic planning terms however further discussion is needed on the issues set out in paragraph 77. Context 1 On 6 February 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 19 March 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 1A, 1B and 1C of the Schedule to the Order 2008: page 1 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: Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of more than 30 metres high; 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 0.57 hectare site has been vacant for several years. The site is bounded to the north by the West India Dock, to the east by private car parking and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) viaduct, to the south by Marsh Wall/Admirals Way and by Britannia International Hotel to the west. Pedestrian and vehicular access to the site is currently not available. The nearest section of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) is the A1261 Limehouse Link/Aspen Way, approximately 720m north of the site. Burdett Road, located 1.4km to the north west is the nearest section of Strategic Road Network, while Poplar High Street, located less than 800m north makes up part of Cycle Super Highway Route 3. 7 The site is served by South Quay station, less than 450m east of the site, providing DLR services between Lewisham, Stratford and Bank. In addition the DLR can also be accessed from Heron Quays and Canary Wharf stations, 400m and 650m north of the site respectively. The nearest London Underground station is Canary Wharf located approximately 500m north east of the site and estimated to be a 10 minute walk, offering access to the Jubilee Line. From 2018 the site will also be served by Crossrail services at Canary Wharf. 8 There are four bus services (D8, D7, D3 and 135) available in the area. The nearest bus stops are located within 30m of the site on Marsh Wall and are all served by the D8. Additional bus stops are located further west on Westferry Road. 9 In addition, the site sits within walking distance of two Mayor’s Cycle Hire Docking stations, the first at Lighterman’s Road by Heron Quays DLR station and the second at South Quay West. As such, the site has a good public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 4 (on a scale of 1-6 where 6 is most accessible). Details of the proposal 10 Erection of two buildings of 55 (188.4m AOD) and 50 (172.4m AOD) storeys to provide 792 residential units and ancillary uses plus ground floor retail uses including cafe, provision of page 2 ancillary amenity space, landscaping, public dockside walkway and pedestrian route, basement car park, servicing and a new vehicular access. For comparison the height of 1 Canada Square is 235m AOD) 11 Ancillary residential indoor and outdoor amenity space includes podium level amenity space and sky garden, a gym and swimming pool, cinema, residents’ lounge, business suite. Case history 12 The current proposal was the subject of a series of pre-application meetings in 2012. The principle of the development was supported and a number of changes were made in response to GLA officer comments. 13 The site has the benefit of planning permission, granted in September 2007, for a 16 and 26-storey office building (70,000 square metres and 119m AOD) with ground floor retail and restaurant uses. The previous Mayor supported the scheme (PDU2110/02).This permission has been partially implemented and therefore remains extant. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 14 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Housing London Plan; Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; draft Revised Housing Strategy; Providing for Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG Affordable housing London Plan; Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; draft Revised Housing Strategy Density London Plan; Housing SPG Urban design London Plan 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; Crossrail SPG; draft Crossrail SPG Parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy Retail/town centre uses London Plan Access London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) Tall buildings/views London Plan, Revised View Management Framework SPG Historic Environment London Plan; World Heritage Sites SPG; Circular 07/09 Ambient noise London Plan; the Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy Air quality London Plan; the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy 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 15 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area is the Tower Hamlets Core Strategy 2010, the saved policies of the Tower Hamlets Unitary Development Plan 1998 and the 2011 London Plan. page 3 16 The following are also relevant material considerations: The National Planning Policy Framework and Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework; The Managing Development Development Plan Document (submission version) which has been through EiP and for which the Inspector’s report has been received; The draft Revised Early Minor Alteration to the London Plan. Principle of development 17 The site is located on the south side of West India South Dock on the Isle of Dogs. London Plan policy 2.13, supported by map 2.4, identifies the Isle of Dogs as an Opportunity Area with potential to deliver 110,000 additional jobs and 10,000 new homes by 2031. The strategic policy direction for the Opportunity Area, set out in Annex 1 to the London Plan, provides for new jobs to be focused in and around Canary Wharf and identifies scope to convert surplus business capacity south of Canary Wharf to housing. 18 In view of the site’s location outside the core office area around Canary Wharf, the redevelopment of this site for residential-led mixed use purposes is acceptable in principle. 19 London Plan policy 3.7 sets out that large residential developments should be properly masterplanned to co-ordinate the provision of social, environmental and other infrastructure. Although it is accepted, given the small size of the site, that social infrastructure cannot be provided on-site further discussion is needed over section 106 contributions and provision in the wider area. Urban design 20 The proposed scheme has been commented on extensively at the pre-application stage and officers are supportive of the current design. 21 The impact the development would have on protected views and world heritage sites has been explored and officers are satisfied the scheme will not have a detrimental impact on either. 22 Concerns regarding the quality, definition and role of the public realm around the buildings have all been addressed, with each space having been carefully designed to ensure they will be well used, safe and attractive. This is particularly welcomed to the east of the building where the DLR infrastructure makes this space particularly challenging to design.