Out-Law News 1 min. read
15 Oct 2015, 11:32 am
If consent is granted, the developer claims that it be would be the tallest residential building in Western Europe.
The previous owners submitted a planning application for an office-led redevelopment of Hertsmere House. The Council resolved to refuse planning permission for this scheme but the mayor of London later granted consent in 2009.
The main amendment to the scheme is the change of use from an office-led to a residential-led redevelopment.
The proposal is for demolition of the remaining building and erection of a 67-storey tower which includes 869 residential units, with 110 units being allocated as affordable homes.
The proposal also includes provisions for some off-site affordable housing. An application for the redevelopment of 25-28 Dalgleish Street, which proposes 60 affordable units, is being submitted alongside the Hertsmere House application.
The scheme also provides for commercial floor space, landscaping, bicycle parking, child play space, gym, swimming pool and public realm works.
A spokesman for the developer said, "[the developer] took the decision to amend the plans in line with the council’s recent policy changes which remove the site from a Preferred Office Location (POL) in accordance with a local acknowledgement that there is a need for more high quality homes in the borough."
Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said: "Greenland acquired Hertsmere House in 2014 and has completely redesigned the scheme to form a proposed residential tower in place of the 2009 consented office scheme. The proposals have been subject to months of pre-application engagement with the borough, GLA and local residents.
If granted, £20 million would be secured through the community infrastructure levy with section 106 contributions still to be negotiated, therefore this offers significant investment in the borough including provision of affordable housing. It will be interesting to see how the application is received by officers and members", Lindsay said.
"It's a bold move to submit a planning application for the City's tallest residential building just when Tower Hamlets is clamping down on density in its planning guidance", said Marcus Bate, another planning expert at Pinsent Masons. "Recent decisions by the Council's Strategic Development Committee indicate that development proposals like these will be subjected to intense scrutiny and require very sensitive promotion."