Out-Law News 1 min. read
10 Apr 2013, 5:11 pm
Henderson submitted a planning application in February for a £160 million redevelopment of the former Smithfield Market. Under the plans, new shops, restaurants and office space would be created whilst most of the market's existing perimeter would be restored and retained.
English Heritage said in its letter that the proposals represented a "realistic long term proposal" to bring the redundant Victorian buildings back into a "viable use". It did acknowledge that the development would bring harmful impacts to the "historic" built environment and said that this impact should be weighed against the benefits that the scheme would deliver.
"In our view it is unlikely that a scheme with less or no new development on the site will come forward in the foreseeable future, as this would not be financially viable," the letter said.
"The City of London Corporation has no intention to commit funds to repair the buildings in their freehold ownership. In this context, the current proposals may represent the optimum opportunity to regenerate this long vacant site and restore its most significant historic elements," it said.
The letter said that if the City of London decided to grant permission for the plans, English Heritage would support the approval.
“In our view, the repair, restoration and re-use of the most significant elements of the Victorian market buildings is positive, and will go some way towards enhancing the significance of the conservation area," the letter said.
"The new elements of the building are robust and clearly contemporary in style, but are visually neutral enough to defer to the restored historic elements of the complex in some, but not all, important local views,” it said.
Campaign group SAVE Britain's Heritage unveiled alternative plans for the market in November last year following the publication of Henderson's proposals the previous month. However, only Henderson's plans have been submitted to the Council.
