Hackney Council recommend "Teardrop Tower" to get planning permission

A proposed 15-storey tower, on Peacocks site next to Dalston Kingsland Station, is to be recommended by Hackney for approval by it's Planning Committee next Wednesday 5th February at 6:30pm. It's a public meeting and you are entitled to be there.

YOU CAN STILL HAVE A SAY. SEE BELOW. 

The proposed 15-storey tower, next to Dalston Kingsland station, which the Planning Committee will consider

Despite the proposed tower being reduced from 19 to 15 storeys it has still been condemned by Islington Council which states that the "location is highly inappropriate for a tall building" and that the design is "inelegant". (Islington recently won a celebrated Court victory by defeating a developer's inappropriate tower. Ed)

The scheme was last considered by Hackney's Design Review Panel in February 2013 which stated "Overall the tower is not of sufficient design quality to form such a prominent landmark in this busy area of Hackney". OPEN has asked the Council to postpone the decision to enable the Design Review Panel to consider the recent design changes.

The 19-storey tower in this photomontage has since been reduced to 15 storeys, but the podium facing Boleyn Road has been increased from 4 to 5-storeys. The amended image is not available to us for display  

 

The scheme will provide no flats for social rent and only 15 are for "affordable sale" (15% of the total). ONE Housing Association have advised Hackney that household income of £45K would be required to purchase a 1-bed flat, £55-£59K for a 2-bed and £71K for a three bed flat. (Note 54% of Hackney households have a total income of below £30,000. Ed.)

The development of 98 flats are predominantly 1 and 2-beds, with only 23 x 3-bed family flats of which only 3 are for "affordable sale". Families are the most in housing need in Hackney.

On the roofs there will be a 220sqm private roof gardens for the private owners, but only 115sqm childrens' play area - which is below the policy requirement.

Reports demonstrate that the tower will reduce the natural light to some neighbouring buildings to below British standards as well as cause accelerated wind speeds locally.


OPEN has repeated the objections to the application which it made last October (see Pages on the sidebar) and has also asked for a proper assessment of the towers' impact on neighbouring heritage assets, including the Jewish Burial Ground within Islington ( Kingsbury Conservation Area)

The scheme attracted controversy when the original designs were rejected unanimously by the Planning Committee and more recently when the developer was invited to an exclusive meeting with the Planning Committee when the public were not allowed to speak.

YOU CAN STILL HAVE A SAY

SEE THE COUNCIL PLANNER'S RECOMENDATIONS BY CLICKING HERE

MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN TO THE COUNCIL BY CLICKING HERE

SIGN THE OBJECTORS PETITION BY CLICKING HERE