planning report D&P/1755a/01 5 July 2016 562 Mile End Road, Mile End in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no. PA/16/00943 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 Comprehensive redevelopment to provide 52 residential flats and 760 sq.m. of commercial space within a block of between 3 and 15-storeys. The applicant The applicant is Bestzone Ltd. and the architect is BUJ Architects. Strategic issues Principle of development: the high density residential-led mixed use redevelopment would capitalise on the opportunity presented by this highly accessible yet underutilised site, and the proposal is broadly supported in strategic planning terms (paragraph 14 to 16). Housing: the housing provision (including 35% affordable by habitable room) this needs to be robustly examined including: independent verification of the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing; an assessment as to whether additional development could increase the provision of affordable housing; and, a review of tenure split (paragraphs 17 to 23). Design: the loss of existing nineteenth and twentieth century buildings is acceptable, and overall the design of this tall building is broadly supported. A review of the ground floor is nevertheless sought to: ensure more equitable sizing of affordable and private market residential lobbies; maximise active frontage; and, improve bike store access (paragraphs 24 to 28). Transport: whilst the scheme is generally acceptable in strategic transport terms, there are still various detailed transport matters to resolve (paragraphs 32 to 40). Recommendation That Tower Hamlets Council be advised that whilst the scheme is broadly supported in strategic planning terms the application does not fully comply with the London Plan for the reasons set out in paragraph 45 of this report. The resolution of those issues could lead to the application becoming compliant with the London Plan. page 1 Context 1 On 12 May 2016 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 had until 22 June 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. However, in this case it has been agreed with Tower Hamlets Council that the Mayor will provide this statement on 5 July 2016. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. 2 The application is referable under Category 1C 1.(c) of the Schedule to the Order 2008: ”Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of… 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 Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 The 877 sq.m. site is located in Mile End, at the junction of Mile End Road and Burdett Road (both of which form part of the Transport for London Road Network). The east of the site is defined by a private service road (which serves a 6-storey telephone exchange building opposite) and the south of the site is bounded by Wentworth Mews (part of which is pedestrianised). The surrounding context to the site is characterised by a wide mix of uses, with residential development of between 4 and 8-storeys to the south, a range of commercial uses running along Mile End road to the north, and a generous expanse of open space at Mile End Park to the west. 6 The proposed development plot itself is occupied by two fine grain early nineteenth century commercial premises fronting Mile End Road, and an early twentieth century former cinema building fronting Burdett Road (much of the remainder of the Burdett Road frontage of the site is cleared and shrouded in hording). The existing buildings at the site appear to be poorly maintained, and whilst the cinema building was until fairly recently used as a night club, GLA officers understand that this use has now ceased. 7 None of the existing buildings at the site are Listed or Locally Listed, and the site does not fall within a Conservation Area. Nevertheless, there are various heritage assets in the vicinity including: nearby Grade II Listed Buildings (415-437 Mile End Road, 439-455 Mile End Road, Guardian Angels Presbytery and The Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Church); and, a number of Conservation Areas including Tredegar Square (to the north), Ropery Street (to the south) and Clinton Road (to the west). These Conservations Areas also host numerous other Listed Buildings. 8 The site is very well served by public transport, with various bus routes operating along Mile End Road and Burdett Road, and Mile End Underground station (providing access to Central Line, District Line and Hammersmith and City Line services) located approximately 100 metres to the west. Mile End Road forms part of Cycle Superhighway 2 (CS2), and the site benefits from good access to cycle hire facilities (with numerous docking station available within a short walk). Overall the site registers an accessibility level of six(b), on a scale of zero to six(b), where six(b) denotes the most accessible locations in the capital. page 2 Details of the proposal 9 Comprehensive residential-led mixed use redevelopment to provide 52 new homes and 760 sq.m. of commercial space within a block of between 3 and 15-storeys. Case history 10 On 1 October 2014 GLA officers held a pre-application meeting at City Hall to discuss this scheme. The advice issued on 15 October 2014 stated that “The proposed residential-led mixed use redevelopment of this site is supported in strategic planning terms. Notwithstanding this, the proposed loss of the existing fine grain buildings at the site is disappointing and will need to be justified having regard to the assessed value of these buildings, and the anticipated benefits of the comprehensive redevelopment. The applicant should also ensure that the future application addresses the other issues… with respect to housing; urban design; inclusive access; sustainable development; and, transport”. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 11 The relevant strategic issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Housing London Plan; Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Play and Informal Recreation SPG; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Character and Context SPG; Affordable housing London Plan; Housing SPG; draft Interim Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; Density London Plan; Housing SPG; Urban design London Plan; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Character and Context SPG; Housing SPG; Shaping Neighbourhoods: Play and Informal Recreation SPG; Inclusive access London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; 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; Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy; Transport and parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; Crossrail London Plan; and, Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy. 12 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 Tower Hamlets Core Strategy; 2013 Tower Hamlets Managing Development Document; 2013 Tower Hamlets Adopted Policies Map; and, London Plan 2016 (Consolidated with Alterations since 2011). 13 The following are also relevant material considerations: National Planning Policy Framework; Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework; and, National Planning Practice Guidance. Principle of development 14 The Tower Hamlets Core Strategy sets out the Council’s strategic vision for Mile End, stating that housing growth in the area should be accompanied by the creation of a genuinely mixed use town centre around Mile End station. The Core Strategy also seeks the establishment of new employment uses along Mile End Road, Grove Road and Burdett Road. page 3 15 The proposed residential-led mixed use scheme would provide 52 new homes as well as ground floor commercial units along the primary frontages at Mile End Road and Burdett Road. Whilst the commercial offer of the proposal is likely to focus on retail, the scheme also maintains the flexibility to make a modest provision of office space. Overall, the proposed approach would capitalise on the opportunity presented by this highly accessible yet underutilised site in line with London Plan Policy 3.3 (increasing housing supply), and generally responds well to the key principles of the vision for Mile End expressed within Tower Hamlets Council’s Core Strategy. 16 Accordingly, the principle of the proposed residential-led mixed use redevelopment is strongly supported in strategic planning terms. Housing 17 Whilst the proposed provision of 52 new residential flats at this highly accessible site is strongly supported in line with London Plan Policy 3.3, given the site’s high level of accessibility the applicant should further investigate opportunities to increase the quantum of development with a view to increasing the overall proportion of affordable housing. The table below sets out the proposed residential schedule. Unit type Affordable rent Private market Total Studio 0 9 9 One-bedroom 4 7 11 Two-bedroom 6 19 25 Three-bedroom 3 2 5 Four-bedroom 2 0 2 Total 15 37 52 Affordable housing 18 London Plan Policy 3.12 seeks to secure the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing when negotiating on mixed use schemes.