planning report D&P/3640/01 9 January 2017 Brunel Street Works Silvertown Way, in the Borough of Newham planning application no. 16/03428/FUL 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 Detailed planning permission for mixed use development to provide 975 residential units (Use Class C3), A 152-bedroom hotel (Use Class C1), A 3,000 sq.m. (GIA) of flexible commercial floor space (Use Classes B1 (a, b & c), A1-A5, D2 and a nursery within Use Class D1) including a food store of up to 550 sq.m. An enhanced public realm with cycle ways, tree planting and public squares, amenity space, car parking, cycle parking, refuse stores and servicing arrangements and all associated works. Relocation of existing electricity substation. The applicant The applicant is Opal Silvertown (LLP), the agent is Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners and the architects are GRID, JTP and Cartwright Pickard. Strategic issues summary Principle of development: The redevelopment of the site to provide a residential-led mixed-use development is strongly supported (paragraphs 16-20). Affordable housing: 35% by units/37% by habitable rooms. The applicant should review the proposal against the Mayor’s Draft Affordable Housing and Viability SPG. Further discussion is also required regarding affordable rent and intermediate split, and details on affordable rent levels and the intermediate offer (paragraphs 23-25). Urban design: Broadly supported but the massing and form of the Castalia building should be refined to integrate with the overall scheme and public realm (paragraphs 30-40). Energy: Broadly supported; however, connection to the Excel network should be investigated (paragraph 43). Air quality: A reassessment of the impact of the Combined Heat & Power (CHP), and an air quality neutral assessment for the transport element are required (paragraph 45). Transport: Further discussions with TfL, the applicant and Newham required as well as clarifications/commitments related to various transport plans (paragraphs 46-53). Recommendation That Newham Council be advised that whilst the principle of the application is broadly acceptable in strategic planning terms, the application does not yet comply with the London Plan for the reasons set out in paragraph 58 of this report. However, the resolution of these issues could lead to the application becoming compliant with the London Plan. page 1 Context 1 On 29 November 2016, the Mayor of London received documents from Newham 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 9 January 2017 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. The application is referable under Categories 1A, 1B and 1C of the Schedule to the Mayor of London Order 2008: Category 1A: Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats. Category 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. Category 1C(c): Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of one or more of the following descriptions— the building is more than 30 metres high and is outside the City of London. 2 Once Newham 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. 3 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. 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 is approximately 2.5 hectares and located on Silvertown Way in Canning Town, an identified regeneration area within the London Borough of Newham and the Royal Docks and Beckton Riverside Opportunity Area. It is located to the immediate south of Canning Town Docklands Light Rail (DLR)/London Underground station and is physically constrained as it is bounded by road or rail infrastructure on all sides: to the west by Victoria Dock Road and the Docklands Light Railway and to the east by Silvertown Way. 6 There is an escape access from Canning Town station located at the northern end of the site, outside of the application redline. 7 Surrounding uses include a hotel and a mixed-use development known as the Sphere. Further east, a small industrial estate separates Silvertown Way from an area of post-war local authority housing. To the northeast of the site are the redevelopment projects of Hallsville Quarter and the Rathbone Market redevelopment. 8 The nearby Canning Town station is served by the Jubilee line and DLR. Ten bus routes serve the bus station immediately to the north of the site (nine of which begin or end there), and page 2 there are bus stops adjacent to and opposite the site on Silvertown Way which are served by route 147, 241 and 474. The public transport accessibility level (PTAL) is 6a at the northern end and 4 at the southern end where 1 is the lowest and 6b the highest. 9 The site was transferred to the GLA in 2012 from the London Development Agency (LDA) and they retain the freehold. The LDA had used its Compulsory Purchase Order powers to assemble and clear the site for future development. The site was taken to market by the GLA via the London Development Panel and in 2014 and was secured (via a tender process) by Opal (Silvertown) LLP, a joint venture between Galliford Try and Thames Valley Housing. Details of the proposal 10 Full planning permission is sought for the redevelopment of the site involving the erection of four buildings ranging in height from 9 to 26 storeys comprising: 975 residential units (Use Class C3) 6,341 sq.m. for a hotel (Use Class C1) 547 sq.m. for food retail (Use Class A1) 2,426 sq.m. for other flexible commercial uses Use Classes B1 (a, b & c), A1-A5, D2 and a nursery within Use Class D1) Car and cycle parking; and landscaping and associated works Case history 11 GLA officers provided initial pre-application advice on this scheme on 5 June 2015, following a meeting held on 20 May 2015, covering issues with respect to: land use principles; housing, including affordable housing, density, residential mix and quality and children’s playspace; urban design; inclusive design; and climate change and sustainability, and; transport. 12 Following the initial pre-application meeting on 20 May 2015, the applicant sought to address the concerns of Newham Council officers and the members of the Council’s Design Review Panel, in relation to the height, mass and density, ground floor land use strategy and overall design and architectural composition. On 16 May 2016, a request was then received for a follow-up pre-planning application meeting, which was held on 9 June 2016. The advice report (pre-application report reference number D&P/3640) subsequently issued by GLA officers concluded that matters of residential quality, density, playspace and unit mix appeared acceptable, although further discussion and clarification was still required in respect of affordable housing, PRS, landscaping and connectivity to ensure full compliance with the London Plan. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 13 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Opportunity areas London Plan; 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; Housing Strategy; Draft Affordable Housing and Viability SPG; Tourism/hotel London Plan; page 3 Employment space London Plan; Density London Plan; Housing SPG; Urban design London Plan; 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; Air quality London Plan; Transport and parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; CIL London Plan; and, Use of planning obligations in the funding of Crossrail, and the Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy SPG. 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 Newham’s Local Plan – The Core Strategy (2012); Newham’s Local Plan Detailed Sites and Policies Development Plan Document (2016); and The London Plan 2016 (The Spatial Development Strategy for London Consolidated with Alterations since 2011). 15 The following are also relevant material considerations: The National Planning Policy Framework, Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework, and the National Planning Practice Guidance. The Royal Docks & Beckton Riverside Opportunity OAPF Working Draft 2016 Principle of development 16 London Plan Policy 2.13 ‘Opportunity areas….’ encourages development proposals that “seek to optimise residential and non-residential output and densities, provide necessary social and other infrastructure to sustain growth, and, where appropriate, contain a mix of uses”.