London mayor calls in Isle of Dogs planning application

The applicant, Drakar Limited on behalf of Far East Consortium International Limited submitted a planning application for the demolition of the existing buildings and construction of two towers, 34 and 65 storeys high, a 231 bedroom hotel, primary school, healthcare facilities, commercial floorspace, car parking, landscaping and retention of the current pubs. The plan would see the delivery of 634 new homes.

On 18 February, the Council's planning committee meeting resolved, in line with officer recommendation, to refuse planning permission for the application.

According to a report prepared by the Greater London Authority, the Council refused to grant planning permission for three main reasons. The Council had concerns in relation to overdevelopment, the lack of an adequate wind assessment or a legal agreement to secure affordable housing or any other contributions.

According to a report attached to the mayor's letter, the redevelopment has "significant impacts on the implementation of the London Plan" as "the site is located within the Isle of Dogs and South Poplar Opportunity Area (OA)".

"The proposals seek to deliver 634 new homes and contribute 184 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs once completed, not including a further 488 FTE jobs during construction and will therefore make a positive contribution towards the delivery of the primary housing and employment objectives of the OA," the mayor's report said.

The project will also see the contribution of over £600,000 towards Crossrail; "thus helping to deliver the mayor’s principal transport policy priority within the London Plan."

The report said that the proposal "support[s] the strategic policy direction for the [OA], particularly with regards to the delivery of key social and physical infrastructure to support wider growth objectives, and contribute towards meeting the indicative targets for new jobs and homes. This therefore represents a sound reason for the Mayor to intervene, given the significant contribution that this scheme would make towards the housing, education and transport objectives of the London Plan."

Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com said

"This is another decision by the mayor to call in a planning application in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, following several call in decisions just last year in the same borough."

"Mayor Johnson has increasingly used his mayoral call-in powers during his time in office as a tool to accelerate the determination of planning applications and to approve much needed housing. City Hall has increasingly warned local authorities that decisions on development in the capital should be made more quickly and the threat of call-in puts pressure on those local authorities to act accordingly. The timing is good for the applicants as the window for call-in during mayor Johnson's period of office is rapidly drawing to a close," said Lindsay.