New Greenwich tower: Further details revealed
Further details have been revealed about a proposed tower in Greenwich directly in front of the o2.
According to the development’s website, there will be 800 rooms. However an Environmental Impact Assessment recently submitted suggests “up to 820”.
The EIA also suggest a height of around “120 metres AOD” which is similar to a 2015 proposal.
Developers hope to gain planning approval by autumn 2023, which means it could just squeeze through before Greenwich Council’s low Community Infrastructure Levy rates are expected to be adjusted.
If that happens, it’s yet more money lost for the borough’s services and residents after long-term failure firstly to set suitable rates despite what was permissible in a 2015 Viability Report, and then a failure to subsequently adjust rates in 2018 as stated by the authority.
Just tonight, a council scrutiny meeting is looking at CIL rates as Greenwich have sat bottom or thereabouts for some years in London when it comes to collecting income from developers for some time in London.
Given the scale of development, it’s an astonishing failure.
Council officers presented a report today for councillors which fails to mention that revision of low rates in 2018 – as promised in 2015 – never happened. This extract from a report from the Planning Inspector which mentions Viability Assessment highlights Greenwich’s plans in 2015.
Despite the council “making a commitment” within three years, they never did.
That failure to revise has cost large sums in lost revenue. Before changes do occur, proposals such as this tower could just about squeeze though as could the major scheme planned at B&Q in Greenwich and Ikea’s car park.
It’s painful how much has been lost in recent years while Greenwich languished in London for obtaining revenue to benefit the community.
Pretty much every new application approved over the last seven years could have seen more revenue from developers to the public purse which would have boosted services and long neglected parts of the borough.
Will the newest tower plan also go through before revision?
I’ll be keeping an eye out.
