Given the fury so often directed at tall buildings in London, the most striking finding of the recently-published Ipsos-MORI poll of Londoners’ attitudes to them is how relaxed most of them seem with the clusters of skyscrapers currently sprouting in the capital.
True, there were large majorities favouring “more limits” on the height of new tall buildings and on the number rising to an exceptional 50 storeys or more. Just under 20% of those surveyed felt strongly about these things and 41% and 40% respectively said they “tend to agree” that the limits suggested should be imposed. They far outnumbered those who took the opposite views.
And yet opinions about the tall buildings - defined as being more than 20-storeys high - that currently exist or are under construction in the capital were, on the whole, more positive than negative.
Asked if they are worried that too many new tall buildings are going up in London, 40% either strongly disagreed (8%) or tended to disagree (32%) compared with 36% who strongly (9%) or tended to (27%) agree that they are worried. Those surveyed were also asked if they think new tall buildings are making London’s skyline look better. A substantial 44% agreed (8% strongly, 36% tended to) compared with only 30% who disagreed (9% and 21%).
There was an absolute dead heat between those who agree that “new tall buildings are damaging what makes London special” and those who don’t, but a clear majority agreeing with the proposition that “new tall buildings are making a valuable contribution to the vibrancy of London” - 40% in all compared with only 27% who disagreed. Moreover, 47% thought the number of tall building in the pipeline earlier this year, when the question was asked - 270, including 25 of more than 50 storeys - was “about right” compared with 39% who thought this was too many and 11%, too few.
What conclusions can be drawn from these findings and how should they influence Sadiq Khan’s approach to using his planning powers and, in the longer term, his drawing up of a new London Plan?
It’s tempting to suggest that the influential anti-tall building lobby, with its mixture of aesthetic, heritage and developer-bashing arguments, should be required to make its case more persuasively. Londoners may be wary of skyscraper development getting out of hand and, as another part of Ipsos-MORI survey indicates, would like tall buildings contained within specific areas. But, in general, they seem relatively content with how things are now (though note that the very latest figures say that the number of tall buildings planned has risen to 400).
It’s a reminder that London buildings that have broken height barriers in the past, from St Pauls to the BT Tower (originally the Post Office Tower), have faced initial, high-profile opposition only to be later embraced by popular affection. The same thing seems to be happening with the Shard.
At the same time, the pollsters found an exceptionally high level of agreement that Londoners should be consulted more over the number of tall buildings going up. And, significantly, negative feelings about them were more marked among Inner Londoners, who are more likely to have a tall building near where they live, than among Outer Londoners, for many of whom the edifices sprouting along the Thames and elsewhere are distant additions to the skyline rather than looming giants casting long, local shadows. For example, the percentage of Inner Londoners worried about the number of tall buildings was slightly larger at 43% than the 40% who said they aren’t worried.
Another question in the survey suggests that Londoners are more accepting of tall buildings if convinced of their utility: good design, looking “right” in relation to their surroundings and respecting the feelings of local people came high on the list of factors they thought should be given the greatest priority by those making decisions about whether tall buildings should be allowed, but the top two on the list were whether the building would produce affordable housing and new job opportunities.
However, when asked which types of housing are most suited to the needs of Londoners, terraced dwellings came top, closely followed by purpose-built flats of five storeys or less. High-rise flats lagged well behind.
The overall picture painted by the survey is, then, a nuanced one. The mayor might be wise to tentatively conclude that Londoners will accept more tall buildings on condition that they will serve a useful purpose and if their scale and proliferation is regulated in keeping with their wishes.
The findings also raise issues for further research. For example, Hackney Labour councillor Rita Krishna, a strong advocate of cycling, walking and public transport, has wondered on Twitter whether the preference for terraces partly reflects an assumption that they provide on-street car parking. Another thought that comes to mind is whether Londoners have been well enough informed about what modern, high density housing that isn’t also high-rise can look and feel like - a point that is not lost on Khan’s deputy for housing, James Murray.
The mayor has said he will publish supplementary planning guidance in the autumn. That should start to tell us what his direction of travel on tall buildings is, along with a great deal else.
Read the detailed findings of the Ipsos MORI survey by way of here.
