LBS Properties wins appeal for new 48-storey residential tower in South Quay
Award-winning London developer LBS Properties has secured planning permission for a 48 storey mixed-use development at 225 Marsh Wall, providing a range of high quality new homes and commercial space adjacent to Canary Wharf. The scheme will have a Gross Development Value of approx. £230m.
Designed by Make Architects, the new development will replace an existing multi-let office building with 332 apartments including 71 affordable units, as well as approx 10,000 sq ft of mixed B1, D1, A1 and A3 commercial space. In addition there will be landscaped public realm at ground level, which will combine with the extensive landscaped gardens on the adjacent project, The Madison, to provide new a public square for the Marsh Wall East area.
The site, which sits directly to the east of The Madison tower, benefits from excellent transport connections including South Quay and Crossharbour DLR Stations and the Jubilee Line at Canary Wharf Underground Station. It is also ideally placed to benefit from the new Canary Wharf Crossrail station when it completes in late 2019, as well as the wider transformation taking place in the area.
The project was recommended for approval by LB Tower Hamlets planning officers in late 2017, but was refused by elected members of the Strategic Development Committee. The public inquiry was held in September 2018, and planning permission granted by the planning inspectorate in October 2018.
The planning inspectorate report stated: “The building has been designed to an exemplary standard, making a significant new place and improving the quality of the Isle of Dogs cluster. A built development of this quality, seen in conjunction with the Madison tower ‘bookending’ a public park, would create an identifiably distinct place, making a major contribution to the character and quality of the Marsh Wall street scene.”
Nick Crawford, Managing Director at LBS Properties, said: “We are delighted to have received planning permission for this significant development, that will provide high-quality new homes, commercial space, and extensive public realm, contributing to the evolution of the South Quay area as an attractive place to live and work. It will combine with The Madison, due to complete in 2020, to provide a new public square for Marsh Wall East, and over 750 new homes in two slender towers.”
Frank Filskow, lead architect, said: “At a time when it is agreed that more homes need to be built, that provide amenities and community benefits, we are delighted with this result. This is the first time we have used Virtual Reality to help the inspector assess the scheme on site and it made a real difference. This will make a great sister building to The Madison which we also designed for LBS Properties and fits with the wider masterplan for the area, delivering wider benefits for the community including a nursery and retail.”
Victoria Du Croz, Head of Planning at Forsters, added: “This is an excellent result for LBS Properties and Forsters was delighted to have been part of the consultant team. We look forward to seeing work start on this high quality scheme which will deliver much needed housing and public realm.”
The development was granted permission at appeal. LBS Properties is the development manager. Forsters LLP and Russell Harris QC acted for the applicant, Cubitt Property Holdings Limited.
