Plans to build a 46-storey tower containing almost 1,000 student bedrooms in Canary Wharf have been given the green light by City Hall, after Sir Sadiq Khan’s planning deputy overruled the local council.
At a hearing on Tuesday, deputy mayor Jules Pipe concluded that the project at 7 Brannan Street will play an important role in helping London meet its annual housing targets.
“Whilst this application is for purpose-built student accommodation, it nevertheless meets a housing demand equivalent to 364 homes,” Mr Pipe told the meeting.
“We’re all aware of the urgent need to deliver more homes, and particularly genuinely affordable homes, if we’re to tackle the housing crisis and boost economic growth.
“The new Labour Government has made achieving its manifesto commitment of 1.5 million new homes a top priority and has set London the challenge of delivering 88,000 homes per year.”
He added that London’s “world-class higher education institutions are an important economic driver and can support growth and regeneration, as well as addressing skills shortages”.
The scheme’s approval comes after the plan had been narrowly voted down by Tower Hamlets Council at a meeting of the authority’s strategic development committee in November last year. Four councillors had voted against the advice of the borough’s own planning officers by refusing permission for the project, while three voted in favour of it.
Councillors opposed to the tower had argued it could lead to an increase in “anti-social activity”, “noise and disturbance” for neighbouring residents, and that it was an “inappropriate location for student accommodation”.
However, City Hall’s officers informed Mr Pipe they had found that “no unacceptable noise and general disturbance generated by the future occupants would occur”, adding that a “student management plan” had been included as part of the application.
In total, the scheme will deliver 912 new student bedrooms, of which 320 will be made available at ‘affordable’ rates - meaning the latter will cost no more than 55 per cent of market rents.
Jack Brewster, development director at the Canary Wharf Group, said it had been “very disappointing” last year to see Tower Hamlets refuse permission for the project after “over three years of design and engagement” on it.
He added: “Canary Wharf is in the process of transforming, through diversification, attracting new industries, visitors and residents, to strengthen what it offers to the community of London. The 23-acre Wood Wharf masterplan has been a critical part of this diversification, with over 1,700 homes already delivered, and a further 1,600 under construction - including a significant number of affordable homes...
“The application at 7 Brannan Street represents the next stage for Wood Wharf - purpose-built student accommodation is a land use that would be found in most other comparable metropolitan centres... and it will help us support the growth of the higher education sector in this part of London.”
The council had received only two objections from local residents in response to the plans, and City Hall received just one after taking control of the application a few months ago. None of these objectors spoke at Tuesday’s hearing, and the council also chose not to speak in defence of its decision to reject the scheme.
Similar high-rise student accommodation projects in Paddington and in Archway have also been ‘called in’ by City Hall, with hearings expected for each in the next few months.
