Out-Law News 1 min. read

Tower Hamlets approves Wood Wharf Tower plans


Tower Hamlets Council has granted planning permission for the first residential tower at the Wood Wharf redevelopment, now known as New Phase.

The 57 storey building is located on the waterfront on the south dock. The proposal contains plans for 468 new homes, comprising of 71 studio flats, 174 one bed units, 174 two bed units and 49 three bed or more units.  It also includes 17,777 square metres of business space, 2,763 sq m of retail and leisure, street works, associated infrastructure and other works.

It will also have access to a shared basement which will provide car parking spaces and other ancillary facilities; plans for this will be submitted in a separate application.

The tower is the first part of a larger redevelopment scheme which will deliver up to 3,200 new homes, office and retail space, along with a community centre and a network of public squares. The Council resolved to grant outline planning permission and listed building consent for the redevelopment last year.

Earlier this year, former communities secretary Eric Pickles announced that a £200 million government loan had been allocated to Canary Wharf Group to contribute towards the infrastructure works, relocation and upgrade of utilities at the redevelopment.

Chairman and chief executive officer of the Canary Wharf Group plc, George Iacobescu, said: "This decision is a major step in the progression of the New Phase, a development that will broaden and extend the Canary Wharf estate, adding to its vibrancy and continually expanding cultural, community and commercial offer."

Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said: "As previously reported on Out-Law.com, this long awaited redevelopment of Wood Wharf has evolved from the Wood Wharf Masterplan supplementary planning guidance adopted back in 2003 by Tower Hamlets Council."

"Wood Wharf is one of a number of projects to benefit from a loan from HCA's large sites infrastructure programme" said Lindsay. "The grant of planning permission for this tower shows that, after facing a number of challenges along the way, the Wood Wharf redevelopment can finally get under way".

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