PDU Case Report XXXX/YY Date
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planning report D&P/1995b/01 25 February 2014 Heron Quays West 2 (1 Bank Street) in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no. PA/13/03159 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 application with all matters reserved for the demolition of the existing buildings and structures and construction of a building of up to 191.5m AOD (approximately 34 storeys), comprising a maximum of 129,857 sq.m. of office use (Use Class B1) and a maximum of 785 sq.m. of retail (Use Classes A1-A5), along with a decked promenade to West India Dock South, access and highway works, landscaping and other incidental works. The applicant The applicant is South Quay Properties (a subsidiary of Canary Wharf Group), the agent is DP9, and the architect is Adamson Associates International. Strategic issues The principle of an office-led development is supported in strategic planning terms, however further information is required on London Plan policies in relation to mix of uses, urban design, tall buildings, strategic views, climate change, and transport. Policies on employment, the Blue Ribbon Network, historic environment, and inclusive access are also relevant to this application. Recommendation That Tower Hamlets Council be advised that the application does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 67 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in that paragraph could address these deficiencies. Context 1 On 21 January 2014, 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 3 March 2014 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. page 1 2 The application is referable under Categories 1B and 1C of the Schedule to the 2008 Order: 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 buildings (c) outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 square metres.” 1C “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 Heron Quays West 2 (HQW2) site, also referred to as 1 Bank Street, includes both land and water areas. The land portion of the site currently comprises the western part of a temporary landscaping site that extends across the wider previously consented Heron Quays West site (Ref PDU/1995/02). The temporary permission for the landscaping (Local authority ref PA/11/03796) expired in December 2013 and an application for an extension is being considered by Tower Hamlets Council. The site also extends into the water of West India Dock South, on the south side of the site. To the east lies the recently consented Heron Quays West 1 (HQW1) site. 7 The site is bounded by West India Middle Dock to the north, West India Dock South to the south, temporary landscaping to the east, and Westferry Road to the west. Within the site boundary is Heron Quays Road/Bank Street, including a security check point to enter the Canary Wharf Estate; two three-storey office buildings, to be demolished, including their piles in the water of West India Dock South; and the Grade I listed West India Middle Dock wall. 8 The red line boundary overlaps that with the consented HQW1 proposal. This is because both proposals include the two three-storey buildings that are to be demolished, allowing each proposal to be implemented ahead of the other, according to market demand. 9 The nearest section of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) is the A1203 Limehouse Link, located approximately 550m to the north-west. Heron Quays Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station and Canary Wharf London Underground station (Jubilee line) are located approximately 220m and 320m to the east of the site respectively. Canary Wharf Crossrail station, approximately 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, with the nearest stops located on Bank Street. The site is also accessible via the Thames Clipper services from the Canary Wharf pier at Westferry Circus. There are also three Cycle Hire Docking Stations located in close proximity, with the nearest located by Heron Quays DLR station. As page 2 such, the public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of the site is 5, on a scale of 1-6 where 6 is the highest. Details of the proposal 10 The application seeks outline planning permission for the demolition of the existing buildings and the redevelopment of the site to provide a new building of up to 191.5m (AOD) (approximately 34 storeys or 185.5m above ground), with an approximate maximum GEA of 135,606sq.m. and a minimum GEA of 82,761sq.m. The building will be predominantly for office use (Use Class B1) but will potentially include some retail floorspace (Use Class A1 – A5). It will also have the potential for basement car parking, on-site servicing and a decked promenade to the West India Dock South, as well as works to Bank Street. 11 Publically accessible external space will be provided at ground level around the building to the north, south and west, while access to the east will be considered alongside implementation of the outline consent for the neighbouring HQW1 site. 12 All matters are reserved for future determination; however the application establishes the parameters for the scheme and sets 35 Design Guidelines for future development. In order to test the parameters, illustrative schemes are set out in the applicant’s Design and Access Statement. 13 The proposal takes account of the neighbouring recently consented HQW1 proposal (Ref. D&P/1995a/02) and provides the option for the buildings to be joined at podium level as part of a Reserved Matters application. In addition, the overlap allows the demolition of the two existing office buildings on the site to be implemented as part of either of the development proposals, regardless of which site is developed first. An application for non-material amendments to the consented scheme at HQW1 will be submitted to the Tower Hamlets Council in due course to ensure that the HQW1 scheme could be implemented in tandem with the proposal for HQW2. 14 The Design Guidelines maintain a minimum gap between the buildings of 13.92 metres, although this would not necessarily be to ground floor level as a low level podium could be included between the buildings. The Design Guidelines also ensure a pedestrian promenade deck around the building over West India Dock South. 15 The Grade I listed West India Middle Dock wall will remain unaffected by the proposal. Case history 16 In April 1992, a planning application (Local authority ref. T/92/0010) was granted for the redevelopment of the site, together with part of West India Dock South, comprising 134,705 sq.m. gross floorspace, consisting of 121,000 sq.m. of office space, 5,000 sq.m. of retail and a new park. This application included 32 metre extension into the Dock and rose to 130m. AOD. The application was subsequently renewed in 1997 for a further period of five years and was implemented by way of construction of the associated infrastructure. It therefore remains a live consent. page 3 17 More recently, in April 2008 the former Mayor considered a planning application (Ref. 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 the Jubilee Place retail mall and Canary Wharf underground station, together with a four storey building for food, drink and education and training uses. This application covered a wider area, including the neighbouring HQW1 site to the east. On 25 March 2008, Tower Hamlets Council informed the former Mayor that it was minded to grant planning permission for the proposal and on 10 April 2008, the former Mayor advised Tower Hamlets Council that he was content for the Council to determine the case itself, subject to any action that the Secretary of State may take. Permission for that application expired on 17 December 2013. 18 On 17 June 2013, the Mayor of London received documents from Tower Hamlets Council notifying him of a planning application covering the neighbouring HQW1 site for outline permission, with all matters reserved, for the demolition of the existing buildings and structures, and construction of a building of up to 130,642sq.m.