Islington (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Mayor Sadiq Khan has called in Níall McLaughlin’s rejected student tower plans in Archway, Islington, following local councillors’ refusal of the scheme.
The plan, supported by Seven Capital, was rejected by the planning committee of Islington Council late last month (March 24). The application included 91 McLaughlin-designed homes, 91 of which are designated for social rent, and 87 GRID-designed homes.
In the meantime, there are 32 student beds in the current Clerkenwell building, which was designed by GRID, and 210 beds in the tower, which was designed by McLaughlin.
City Hall said this Monday (March 31) that London Mayor Sadiq Khan will now decide on the proposals, taking the final say away from Islington. The development will now be the subject of a public hearing.
The highly contentious plan was rejected for 14 grounds by Islington planning officers, one of which being the renovation of the site’s locally listed old 19th-century infirmary structure using GRID design.
The contentious 82-meter-tall skyscraper and lower-rise units of affordable housing are being designed by Níall McLaughlin Architects, a former Stirling Prize winner.
Planning officers stated in their report that because of the planned tower’s height, the footprint, and the placement of new buildings on the property, McLaughlin’s proposed buildings would “cause harm” to the heritage assets and conversation area nearby.
The Archway Campus site was not approved for a tall building, according to the same authorities, and the plan “fails to provide 50% on-site affordable housing without public subsidy,” among other things.
Officers also pointed out that there was not enough data on biodiversity net benefit or proof that the plan would adhere to the strictest fire safety regulations.
Islington rejected the plan last month after receiving about 450 letters of complaint.
Last year, Jeremy Corbyn, the local MP for Islington North, also voiced objection to the building, pointing to the tower’s size and what he claimed was a shortage of social rentable housing.
According to planning documents, the tower must be about thirty stories high “if it is to acquire elegant proportions and sufficiently differentiate itself from its surroundings,” which are up to eighteen stories high, according to Níall McLaughlin Architects.
The skyscraper was called “a singular object that stands out from its surroundings [which] needs to be significantly higher than nearby buildings to achieve this character” by the team, who had previously compared it to Richard Seifert’s Centre Point tower.
The current plan is eight stories shorter than the 35-story student housing skyscraper that was proposed for the site during last year’s consultation.
When Haworth Tompkins’ plans for 400 homes failed to materialize, Seven Capital purchased the property from Peabody in 2021.
The AJ is aware that the former infirmary is presently being evaluated for listing by Historic England.
It’s unclear when the mayor will make a decision.
Seven Capital chose not to respond.
What were the main reasons for Sadiq Khan calling the plans?
The Mayor might want to make sure the development is in line with London’s strategic development objectives if it is deemed noteworthy because of its size, location, or possible effects on the neighborhood.
The tower’s design, height, and possible social and environmental effects on the neighborhood could worry the mayor.
Khan may want to make sure that the project supports his policy objectives, which could include expanding access to affordable housing, strengthening environmental sustainability, or upgrading public areas.
By becoming more involved in the decision-making process, the mayor hopes to address any noteworthy community input or disagreement.