The Goodsyard

The Goodsyard

Artist's impression
General information
Status Proposed
Type Mixed use
Location Shoreditch
Town or city London
Country United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°31′22″N 0°04′33″W / 51.522893°N 0.075718°W / 51.522893; -0.075718
Cost £800m
Client Hammerson/Ballymore
Height Up to 166m / 545 ft[1]
Technical details
Floor count Up to 46
Design and construction
Architecture firm PLP, FaulknerBrowns, Buckley Gray Yeoman
Website
http://www.thegoodsyardlondon.co.uk

Coordinates: 51°31′22″N 0°04′33″W / 51.522893°N 0.075718°W / 51.522893; -0.075718

The Goodsyard is the name given to a proposed development on the site of the former Bishopsgate Goods Yard in Shoreditch, London, which is located within two London boroughs - Hackney and Tower Hamlets. The scheme, which is a joint venture between developers Hammerson and Ballymore, includes 12 buildings, the tallest of which is planned to be 166 m (545 ft) tall with 46 floors. In total, 1,356 homes are proposed, as well as offices, retail and workshop space and a 2.4 acre park.

The proposed development has received opposition from heritage bodies and local residents. It is also opposed by Hackney and Tower Hamlets Borough Councils. In 2015, London Mayor Boris Johnson called in the scheme which gave him the authority to grant or reject planning permission. A decision was due to be made in April 2016. However, the decision has now been delayed.

Planning

Developers Hammerson and Ballymore acquired the site of the former Bishopsgate Goods Yard, which has been derelict for 50 years, from Network Rail in 2002 and began working on development plans.[2][3] The developers submitted a planning application in July 2014 for plans which included four towers of 30, 34, 42 and 49 storeys and a total of 1,500 homes, 19,000 sq m of retail space, 60,000 sq m of office space as well as workshops.[4]

Revised plans

Following a consultation process, the developers submitted amended plans on 15 June 2015.[5] The revised plans saw a reduction in the height of the towers to 26, 30, 38 and 46 storeys, with the tallest tower planned to be 166 m (545 ft) in height.[1] As a result, the proposed scheme now includes 1,356 homes with 15.8 per cent classed as affordable.[2][6] It also has 840,000 sq ft of office space as well as 200,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space.[7][8] In total, 12 buildings are planned for construction.[2]

London Mayor Boris Johnson controversially called in the scheme in 2015 upon request from the developers, using a rule which allows the Mayor of London to intervene in borough planning if planning decisions have not been made within 16 weeks of an application being submitted.[9] This gave Johnson the authority to make the final decision on planning permission.[10] A decision as to whether the development could go ahead or not was due on 11 April 2016, with the Mayor's planning officers at the Greater London Authority (GLA) advising him to reject the proposals as they considered the scale of development inappropriate.[11] However, the decision has now been delayed.[12]

The plans have received opposition from local residents and heritage bodies including The Victorian Society,[13] The East End Preservation Society and the Spitalfields Society.[14][15] The scheme is also opposed by the two borough councils where the site is located - Hackney and Tower Hamlets Borough Councils. It has been described by The Guardian as "one of the most fiercely opposed developments in recent history".[2] Opponents argue the scheme will impact on the character of the area, lacks sufficient affordable housing and the taller towers will block out sunlight from the surrounding area. A campaign group called More Light More Power was created, arguing that the current proposals would "mean less sunlight across a very wide area especially in winter months".[16]

A petition opposing to the development had gained 11,000 signatures as of April 2016.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Three More Shoreditch Skyscraper Proposals". londonist.com. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wainwright, Oliver. "Are Shoreditch skyscrapers a London tower too far, even for Boris Johnson?". theguardian.com. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Brooke, Mike. "Campaign launched to stop tower blocks at Bishopsgate goods yard". eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Prior, Grant. "Plans go in for £800m Bishopsgate Goodsyard". constructionenquirer.com. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Final Proposals". thegoodsyardlondon.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Seabrook, Victoria. "‘Unacceptable’ plans for Bishopsgate Goodsyard hit setback". hackneycitizen.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Jessel, Ella. "Campaigners slam revised Bishopsgate Goodsyard plans as ‘disappointing’". hackneycitizen.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Hancock, Michaila. "Bishopsgate redesign: fewer homes, less glass and shorter towers". architectsjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  9. ↑ O'Carroll, Lisa. "Hackney mayor attacks Boris Johnson's intervention in skyscraper project". theguardian.com. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Sidders, Jack. "Boris calls in Bishopsgate Goodsyard". egi.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Dewar, David. "Bishopsgate Goodsyard redevelopment should be refused, GLA planners say". planningresource.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Russell, Parton. "Boris Johnson delays making Bishopsgate Goodsyard decision". hackneycitizen.co.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "Strong objections to Bishopsgate Goodsyard plans". thevictoriansociety.org.uk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  14. ↑ Clark, Tim. "Spitalfields Society condemns 'cynical' Bishopsgate plans". architectsjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  15. ↑ the gentle author. "Objecting To The Goodsyard Proposals". spitalfieldslife.com. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  16. ↑ "THE LIGHT ISSUE". morelightmorepower.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, April 20, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.