Controversial Millwall Docks Redevelopment Plan Approved on Third Attempt
2/9/24
The site of a former London printworks will soon be home to a series of buildings up to 31-storeys in height after planning permission was granted by tower Hamlets Council.
Spanning 6.15 hectares, the Westferry Printworks site will be regenerated into a neighbourhood that seamlessly blends residential, educational, and communal spaces, fostering connectivity and sustainability.
The thirteen buildings on site, ranging from four to 31 storeys, have been designed to both optimise housing allocation while fitting within local development plans.
With an emphasis on sustainability and inclusivity, the project will create 1,358 homes – including 379 affordable units.
The development prioritises accessible public routes, generous green spaces, and play spaces for children, inviting both residents and visitors to engage with the area.
As well as a 1200-place secondary school with outdoor sports fields, the community will benefit from more than two hectares of open public space, a police base, commercial premises, a creche and a community centre.
The plans have not been without controversy in the past though.
The Tower Hamlets Council had previously rejected two planning applications from Northern & Shell for the site.
In 2016, then-London mayor Boris Johnson overturned a council decision and approved plans for 722 homes on the site, along with a secondary school and offices. However, these plans were never realized, and two years later, a revised application was submitted, proposing to more than double the number of homes.
Northern & Shell's revised plan to build 1,500 homes in five tall tower blocks was rejected by both the council and the planning Inspectorate, citing concerns about the height of the buildings and their incompatibility with the area's character.
In 2020, despite his own planning inspector advising against it, then-housing secretary Robert Jenrick overruled these objections and granted planning permission. It was later revealed that Northern & Shell had donated £12,000 to the Conservative Party two weeks after Mr. Jenrick approved the plans.
Mr. Jenrick later admitted that his decision was "unlawful by reason of apparent bias," prompting Labour to call for an inquiry. By late 2021, the Conservative government overturned Mr. Jenrick's decision, stating that the plans would have harmed the surrounding area.
Source: Westferry Printworks | An exciting new waterfront neighbourhood