Greenwich tower beside the Thames approved

Revised plans for a tower in Greenwich peninsula have been approved this week.

This time around total homes have increased to 300 while “affordable” housing has dropped to zero. Totals elsewhere have been altered to ensure the same numbers across the masterplan site.

Plans were first approved for a tower on site back in 2014 but developer Knight Dragon failed to build.

Now they claim they want to speed up development with company representatives making the claim before Greenwich borough councillors at a Planning Board meeting.

We shall see. They’ve built little for a decade with numerous vacant plots remaining. Last month they gained approval for towers in the north west of the peninsula.

History

A number of residents opposed the application seeking the taller tower moved to the other side of the plot.

Complaints of down drafts causing high winds were raised.

Changes since 2014 were “minor changes to the tower footprint to accommodate the addition of another stair core” and “joining the two lower, podium buildings to provide a second means of escape for the whole building, while retaining the articulation between the blocks”.

A set back on a shorter block within the plot has also been removed.

Greenwich planner’s report before councillors dismissed some concerns which residents took exception to.

In future further towers will be built to the north and east on adjacent blocks lining the Thames up towards the cable car.

Towers locally

This was the fourth tower approved in Greenwich in just a month, with a 27-floor student block recently approved near Deptford creek and another two towers approved in recent weeks near the o2.

Further towers are due to be approved soon including another a 36-storey student tower directly next to the o2.

Greenwich Council’s low rates of developer levies ensures the borough’s residents continue to miss out of income during government cuts.

While some plots pre-date CIL, many do not and thus valuable revenue for service is being lost as the borough’s levy remains far below most London boroughs.

This is particularly pronounced in the area of student accommodation which is a major growth area. While the council has belatedly begun the process of reforming rates on residential development eight years later than planned, they have excluded student accommodation.

That ensure far lower rates than boroughs such as Newham, Bromley, Tower Hamlets even in prime Zone 2 locations such as North Greenwich beside the Jubilee line, costing residents much in lost income.

The meeting can be viewed here.