The proposals, which have been submitted by a joint venture between Chelsfield and London and Regional, were approved by Lambeth Council in November. Under the plans, the existing 1960s office block on the site will be demolished and two new buildings will be constructed, including a 29-storey tower, to comprise 142 homes and 88,649 square metres of office space.
Both English Heritage and Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey, who say the buildings will affect the view of the Westminster World Heritage Site across the river, have subsequently called for a call-in of the plans to be determined by the SoS.
However, according to reports, the DCLG said in a letter to the Council that the development did not "conflict with national policies on important matters", did not have "significant long term impact on economic growth and meeting housing needs across a wider area than a single local authority" and did not have "significant effects" beyond its "immediate locality".
The letter also said that the Government is "committed to give more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues and believes planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible."
