planning report PDU/2415c/01 6 October 2010 Bow Enterprise Park in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no. 10/1734 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 Mixed use development for 557 residential units, 6220 sq.m. B1/B1(c) and 490 sq.m. flexible (A1, A2, A3 and A5) uses. The proposals will range from 3 to 20 storeys high. The applicant The applicant is Workspace Glebe, and the architect is ORMS Architectural Design. Strategic issues The application is a resubmission of a similar proposal for redevelopment of the existing low density industrial sheds for mixed use residential led development. The application includes a significant proportion of family housing, which is supported. Further consideration of the applicant’s viability work is required to ensure the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing is being delivered. Other outstanding matters include urban design, energy and transport. Recommendation That Tower Hamlets be advised that while the application is generally acceptable in strategic planning terms the application does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 70 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in paragraph 72 of this report could address these deficiencies. Context 1 On 1 September 2010, 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 12 October 2010, 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 1A, 1B (c) and 1C (c) of the Schedule to the Order 2008: 1A: “Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats.” 1B (c): “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 Outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 square metres.” 1C (c): “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 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) (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 development site lies in the northern part of Poplar and is bounded by the DLR to the east, Caspian works to the south (subject of planning application reference PDU/1982), Violet Road to the west and Devons Road to the north. 7 The site is rectangular and at the northern end is Devons Road DLR station. At the north eastern corner is The Widow Son, a grade II* listed public house. The site is currently occupied by Bow Enterprise Park, an industrial estate managed by Workspace Group, with some 30 small single story units of lightweight steel frame construction, and two larger premises sublet to light industrial operators. 8 The surrounding area to the west is predominately established and new residential accommodation, largely under the control of Poplar HARCA and Tower Hamlets Council, and is up to six storeys in height. Within the general area, there are a number of taller residential buildings up to 24 storeys in height. The Docklands Light Railway line acts as a barrier between the site and a large strategic industrial area beyond the DLR to the east. 9 The site is bounded by Devons Road to the north, the DLR alignment to the east, a mix of land uses to the south, and Violet Road to the west. The A12 Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road, which forms part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) is located 600m to the east of the site. There are two bus routes serving the area with bus stops located on both Devas Street and Violet Road. Immediately to the east of the site is Devons Road DLR station and Bromley-by- Bow Underground Station (District and Hammersmith & City lines) is approximately 0.75 kilometres to the north east. The site has a good public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 4 out of a range of 1 to 6, where 6 is the most accessible. page 2 Details of the proposal 10 Full planning permission is sought for redevelopment to provide 557 residential units plus 6,220 sq.m. B1/B1(c) use and 490 sq.m. flexible retail/restaurant/cafe use. 11 The residential component of the proposal will be split as follows: 1-bed 2-bed 3-bed 4-bed 6-bed Total Social rent 27 34 52 6 7 126 (23%) Intermediate 22 23 0 0 0 45 (8%) Market 168 177 41 0 0 386 (69%) Total 217 234 93 6 7 557 (100%) 12 The proposed layout will be as a courtyard block and a separate new public square. Figure 1 central residential courtyard (source D&A statement ORMS July 2010) page 3 Figure 2 visual showing station square (source D&A statement ORMS July 2010) Figure 3 visual showing Violet Road (source D&A statement ORMS July 2010) page 4 Figure 4 visual looking towards the DLR entrance with Devons Road and the listed pub in the foreground (source D&A statement ORMS July 2010) Case history 13 The Mayor considered proposals for similar scale and form of development on the previous application at stage 1 in April 2009. At that time the Mayor indicated broad support subject to improved design to the DLR entrance. The application was withdrawn following discussions with Tower Hamlets Council. 14 Directly to the south of the site is Caspian Works. The Caspian Works site has been subject to a number of planning applications by Berkeley Homes. Planning consent has been granted for redevelopment of Caspian Works for a residential led development with 580 residential units. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 15 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Housing London Plan; PPS3; Housing SPG; Providing for Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG, Housing Strategy; Interim Housing SPG; Housing SPG EiP draft Affordable housing London Plan; PPS3; Housing SPG, Housing Strategy; Interim Housing SPG; Housing SPG EiP draft Density London Plan; PPS3; Housing SPG; Interim Housing SPG; Housing SPG EiP draft Urban design London Plan; PPS1 Mix of uses London Plan Regeneration London Plan; the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; PPG1 Employment London Plan; PPS4; Industrial Capacity SPG page 5 Access London Plan; PPS1; 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 Meeting the spatial needs of London’s diverse communities SPG; Diversity and Equality in Planning: A good practice guide (ODPM) Tall buildings/views London Plan; RPG3A, Revised View Management Framework SPG Sustainable development London Plan; PPS1, PPS1 supplement; PPS3; PPG13; PPS22; draft PPS Planning for a Low Carbon Future in a Changing Climate; the Mayor’s Energy Strategy; Mayor’s draft Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies; Mayor’s draft Water Strategy; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG Historic Environment London Plan; PPS5 16 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 2010 Core Strategy, the 1998 Tower Hamlets Unitary Development Plan and the London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004). 17 The following are also relevant material considerations: The draft replacement London Plan, published in October 2009 for consultation. The Lower Lea Valley Opportunity Area planning framework (January 2007). Regeneration 18 The regeneration objective remains as set out in the previous report considered by the Mayor on 1 April 2009 (Paragraph 18-21 of report PDU/2415/01). The site lies within the Lower Lea Valley Opportunity Area planning framework area. The Framework does not designate the site as Strategic Employment Location but designates the site as a ‘locally significant industrial area’. The planning framework does, however, acknowledge the potential for land use change and associated industrial land release where adequate public transport and highway capacity is available or provided for and with a suggested residential density of between 110 and 340 dwellings per hectare, or 325 – 875 habitable rooms per hectare. The Council’s recently adopted Core Strategy further encourages a local neighbourhood centre at Devons Road. 19 The land use approach includes provision of employment uses B1 and B1(c) and will increase the number of persons employed on the site by approximately 200. This is achieved through the retention of small and medium sized enterprises as an integral feature of the design which therefore protects, to an extent the local employment designation.