planning report D&P/3474a/01 30 January 2017 Glengall Quay, Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets planning application no. PA/16/03518 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 Demolition of existing buildings and comprehensive mixed use redevelopment including two buildings ranging from 25 storeys (85.5m AOD) to 30 storeys (100.8m AOD) in height, comprising 316 residential units (Class C3), 1,778sqm (GIA) of flexible non-residential floor space (Classes A1, A3, A4 and D1), private and communal open spaces, car and cycle parking and associated landscaping and public realm works. The applicant The applicant is Healey Development Solutions (Millharbour) Ltd, the planning agent is GVA and the architect is 3D Reid. Strategic issues summary Land use principle: residential-led mixed-use redevelopment is supported (paragraph 14) Housing: the proposed offer of 35% by habitable room is broadly supported; however further discussions are required to ensure the affordability of the units, including the inclusion of London Living Rent. The applicant is also required to fully explore the use of grant funding in accordance with the draft Affordable Housing and Viability SPG. (paragraphs 15-19) Urban design: the scheme is generally well designed and the height and massing would not harm strategic views or the setting of heritage assets. (paragraphs 22-28) Recommendation That Tower Hamlets Council be advised that, whilst the principle of the proposal is supported, the application does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 42 of this report. However, the resolution of those issues could lead to the application becoming compliant with the London Plan. page 1 Context 1 On 23 December 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 has until 30 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. 2 The application is referable under the following Categories of the Schedule to the Order 2008: Category 1A: Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats. Category 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 outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 sq.m. Category 1C: Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building 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) Regulations 2011, as amended, 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 This 0.7 hectare site is bound to the east by Millwall Inner Dock and to the west by Millharbour. Pepper Street runs through the site from east to west and provides pedestrian and cycle access between Millharbour and Crosshabour DLR station via a bridge over the dock, although elements of this route are also open to traffic. Muirfield Crescent runs around the edge of the site, providing vehicle access to the existing buildings, as well as the flats immediately to the east. To the north and south are large data centre buildings in the process of being extended/redeveloped. The application site comprises predominantly three to four storey buildings with ground floor commercial uses fronting Pepper Street and office uses above, along with surface car parking. There is also a two storey public house, known as Pepper St Ontiod, adjacent to the dock. 7 The site is well served by public transport; Crossharbour Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station can be accessed 150 metres to the east, across Glengall Bridge, and South Quay DLR station is located 450 metres to the north. The nearest London Underground station is Canary Wharf, on the Jubilee line, located 1 kilometre north of the site. Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line station, due to open in December 2018, is located approximately 1.3 kilometre to the north of the site. In addition, three bus routes operate along East Ferry Road (D6, D8 and 135). The site therefore has a moderate Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) of three (on a scale out of six, where six is excellent). The site is also served page 2 by the Mayor’s Cycle Hire Scheme, with the nearest docking station located on Millharbour (19 docking points). Pepper Street is on National Cycle Route 1, from London Docklands to Lea Valley. 8 The site sits within a number of strategic views and river prospects, as identified in the Mayor’s London View Management Framework, including View 5A.1: Greenwich Park, View 6A.1 Blackheath, View 11B.1: London Bridge and View 11B.2: London Bridge. The site also falls within the wider setting of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Details of the proposal 9 Full planning permission is sought for the comprehensive redevelopment of the site, retaining the Davenport House office building and Pepper St Ontiod pub, and comprising the construction of two new buildings of 25 and 30 storeys. The buildings would comprise 1,778 sq.m. of retail and nursery uses at ground floor, with 316 residential units above. The residential element comprises a mixture of private market and affordable housing. Improved public realm is also proposed, including an east-west route linking Millharbour with Glengall Bridge, as well as private amenity and play space. Case history 10 On 5 March 2015, the former Mayor considered a report on a previous planning application for the site (reference D&P/3474/01), which proposed a comprehensive redevelopment for three buildings up to 15 and 45 storeys comprising 484 residential units and ground floor commercial and community space. The former Mayor supported the principle of the development, but requested further information regarding affordable housing, strategic views, inclusive design, energy and transport. This application was subsequently withdrawn by the applicant prior to being considered by Tower Hamlets Council. 11 This current scheme differs from the previous scheme principally due to the retention of two of the existing buildings and the reconfiguration of the layout and scale of the development to accommodate them. This scheme has been the subject of pre-application discussions with GLA officers, over four meetings since May 2016. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 12 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Land use principle London Plan; Housing and affordable housing London Plan; Draft Affordable Housing & Viability SPG; Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; Providing for Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG; Social Infrastructure SPG; Urban design London Plan; Character and Context SPG; Tall buildings and heritage London Plan; London View management framework SPG, Character and Context SPG, World Heritage Sites SPG; Inclusive design 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; Transport and parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; Crossrail/CIL London Plan; Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy; Crossrail SPG. page 3 13 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 Tower Hamlets Core Strategy (2010) and Managing Development Document (2013), as well as the London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2011). The Tower Hamlets Draft Local Plan (November 2016), the National Planning Policy Framework and Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework, are also relevant material considerations. Land use principle 14 The site lies within the Isle of Dogs & South Poplar Opportunity Area, as identified in the London Plan. London Plan Policy 2.13, and Table A1.1, states that the Opportunity Area is capable of accommodating at least 10,000 homes, and 110,000 jobs up to 2031. An Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) is currently being produced by GLA and Tower Hamlets officers. The London Plan recognises that the north of the Isle of Dogs forms a strategically significant part of London’s world city offer for financial, media and business services, and that surplus business capacity south of Canary Wharf provides an opportunity to deliver new housing, and to support a wider mix of services for residents, workers and visitors. Furthermore, the site is not identified for employment use within the London Plan. Accordingly, the proposed mixed-use development, to include housing and commercial uses to serve the local population, is strongly supported in accordance with strategic planning policy. Housing Housing products and mix 15 The proposed residential mix is set out in the below table.