planning report D&P/ 3926/01 1 September 2016 Castle Wharf Filling Station (Orchard Wharf) in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no. PA/16/01763 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 Redevelopment of the former Service Station site with a residential-led mixed use development, comprising 338 residential units, together with 376 sqm of flexible non-residential floorspace (Use Classes A1, A2, A3, B1, D1 and D2), 36 sqm café floorspace (Use Class A3), set across two main buildings including a 24 storey tower with stepped blocks of 20, 17, 11 and 8 storeys, linked by a 2 storey podium at ground level, with a single basement level. The applicant The applicant is Galliard Homes, the architect is BUJ and the agent is CBRE. Strategic issues Land-use: Residential led mixed use within the Isle of Dogs Opportunity Area is supported (paras 16-17). Housing: The delivery of 338 new homes across a range of unit sizes and tenures is supported. The application currently proposes 35.4% affordable housing (by habitable room). Further information is required to ensure the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing is being provided. The quantity of child playspace should be increased and further details should be provided on the type of provision to ensure Policy 3.6 is being met (paras 18-34). Urban design: There have been a number of pre-application meetings to discuss design and the broad design principles are supported (paras 35-42). Air quality: In order to ensure London Plan policy 7.14 is met, further information is required including accounting for the potential impact of the MOT testing centre to the north of the development on potential residential occupants should be assessed (paras 62-66). Noise and safeguarded wharves: The applicant should demonstrate that the proposed development would not harm the operation of the safeguard wharves at Orchard Wharf, Priors Wharf and Mayer Parry Wharf (para 68). Recommendation That London Borough of Tower Hamlets be advised that while the application is supported in strategic planning terms the application does not currently comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 85 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in paragraph 85 of this report could address these deficiencies. page 1 Context 1 On 18 July 2016 the Mayor of London received documents from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 August 2016 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 the following categories of the Schedule to the Order 2008: 1A. 1 “Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats”; 1C 1. “Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of one or more of the following descriptions— (a) the building is more than 30 metres high and is outside the City of London”. 3 Once the London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 The site (0.36Ha) was previously occupied by an Esso petrol filling station, which has since been demolished. The site is bound by Tower Hamlets vehicle testing station to the north, Silvocea Way and Bow Creek (River Lea) to the east and the A1020 Leamouth Road to the west. To the north and north-west of the site are Grade II Listed gateway and brick walls which formed part of the East India Company’s warehouses. 6 The site is located immediately adjacent to the Leamouth Roundabout to the south, which forms a junction between the A1261 Aspen Way, the Lower Lea Crossing and the A1020 Leamouth Road. The A1261 to the south west of the site and the A13 East India Dock Road to the north both form part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN), and are accessed via the roundabout. 7 The East India Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station is located approximately 450m to the south west of the site, which provides links to Tower Gateway and Bank to the west, Canning Town, London City Airport and Beckton to the east. The nearest bus stops are located on East India Dock Road and Saffron Avenue and these stops are served by buses on routes 277 from Leamouth to Highbury Corner, the 115 which operates between East Ham and Aldgate and the 309 between Canning Town and Bethnal Green. 8 The site is also served by the Mayor’s Cycle Hire Scheme with the nearest docking stations located at East India DLR approximately 450m south of the site providing 51 spaces. Cycle superhighway route 3 (CS3) between Barking and Tower Gateway also passes along the A13 and Leamouth Road within close proximity of the site. page 2 9 As such, it has been estimated that the site records a good Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) of 4, on a scale of 1 to 6, where 1 is classed as very poor, however the walking distance between the site and Canning Town station (DLR/Jubilee Line) will be reduced following the opening of the footbridge currently being delivered as part of the London City Island (Leamouth North) development on Leamouth Peninsula (D&P Ref: 1097). 10 The site falls within the Lower Lea Valley and Isle of Dogs Opportunity Areas, with the latter identifying a minimum of 10,000 new homes and 110,000 jobs over the London Plan period to 2036. An Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) for the Isle of Dogs is currently being drafted for consultation in mid to late 2016, which will replace the Lower Lee Valley OAPF where the two areas overlap. The site is also with the Poplar Riverside Housing Zone which seeks to accelerate the delivery of 6,404 new homes. Details of the proposal 11 The proposals are for the comprehensive redevelopment of the site to provide a residential- led, mixed-use development comprising two separate blocks, including a 24 storey tower and a perimeter block stepping in height from 8 storeys to 20 storeys consisting of: 338 residential units 376 sq.m of flexible non-residential floorspace (Use Classes A1, A2, A3, B1, D1 and D2) 36 sq.m café (Use Class A3) Single storey basement to accommodate 33 blue badge car parking spaces, 2 car club bays and cycle storage Associated amenities including communal open space, refuse storage and cycle parking. Case history 12 A pre-planning application meeting was held on 24 February 2016, along with a follow- up design workshop on 24 February 2016, with a written advice report issued on 1 April 2016. An additional follow-up meeting was held on 6 April 2016, which focussed on energy and transport issues. In summary, the proposals for a high-density residential-led development were supported, together with the broad design principles; however, noting the high density of the proposals, the applicant was advised to ensure residential quality was considered throughout the detailed design process. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 13 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Principle of development London Plan; Opportunity Areas London Plan; Housing London Plan; Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Play and Informal Recreation SPG; Affordable housing London Plan; Housing SPG, Housing Strategy; Density London Plan; Housing SPG; Urban design London Plan; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Character and Context SPG; Blue Ribbon Network London Plan; Inclusive access London Plan; Accessible London SPG; Flooding London Plan; Air Quality London Plan; the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy; page 3 Ambient noise London Plan; the Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy; Safeguarded wharves London Plan; London Plan Implementation Report “Safeguarded Wharves on the River Thames”; Safeguarded Wharves review 2011; Safeguarded Wharves Review 2011/2012 – Further Consultation Sustainable development London Plan; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG; Mayor’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy; Mayor’s Climate Change and Energy Strategy; Mayor’s Water Strategy; Transport and parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; Crossrail London Plan; Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy 14 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’s Core Strategy (2010), Managing Development Document (2013) and the London Plan consolidated with alterations since 2011 (March 2016). 15 The following are also relevant material considerations: The National Planning Policy Framework, Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Practice Guidance. Lower Lea Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) (2007) City in the East (2015) Principle of development 16 The site is located within the Isle of Dogs Opportunity Area as designated on London Plan Map 2.4 and Annex 1 with an indicative capacity of 110,000 new jobs and a minimum of 10,000 new homes over the plan period to 2035, as set out above.