The Council's strategic development committee said it was "minded to refuse" the scheme on grounds including its proposed height and density. This was despite a recommendation by the Council's planning officers that permission be granted.
The proposed scheme would comprise 764 new homes in buildings ranging in height from two to 50 floors, as well as a business centre, shops, community facilities and public open space.
The Zog Group had originally proposed a similar office-led scheme, which the Council rejected in 2011 on grounds of excessive height, scale and mass as well as an "unacceptable amount" of affordable housing.
The amended scheme was recommended for approval by the Council's planning officers who said in their report (65-page / 3.74MB PDF) that the proposed development would form an "integral part of the Marsh Wall East site allocation to deliver the objectives of the Core Strategy". They said the scheme would provide "much needed" affordable housing and that its contributions to local facilities and infrastructure would mitigate its impact.
The committee said it was minded to refuse the application due to concerns over its proposed height, density in relation to the London Plan, daylight and sunlight impact to the surrounding properties, lack of child play space on site and the loss of existing employment uses on site.
The committee deferred the application and the Council's planning officers will now prepare a supplementary report to a future meeting of the committee. The report will set out proposed detailed reasons for refusal, along with the implications of the decision.
