Battersea 29-storey 'alien' tower plan rejected

8 hours ago

Charlotte LillywhiteLocal Democracy Reporting Service

News image — The inspector said the tower by Battersea Bridge was "not exemplary, extraordinary, remarkable or distinctive, just tall"

Farrells A computer-generated image of the proposed tower near Battersea Bridge — The inspector said the tower by Battersea Bridge was "not exemplary, extraordinary, remarkable or distinctive, just tall"

A developer has lost a controversial bid to build a 29-storey tower near Battersea Bridge, which drew opposition from celebrities including Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton.

Wandsworth Council rejected the 110-home scheme last year on the basis it failed to follow policy or meet the needs of the local community.

Developers Rockwell then appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, saying Wandsworth's Local Plan was out of date and should not be read as banning tall buildings in the area.

However, the appeal was dismissed, with the inspector Joanna Gilbert saying the tower was five times taller than the recommended building height and that it would "appear alien and isolated".

Gilbert said Rockwell had failed to properly test the viability of lower-rise alternatives, with "little effort to come anywhere close to reasonable policy expectations".

Farrells A computer-generated image of the proposed tower as seen from a local residential area — The developers argued that it was an "elegant building of exemplary quality"

Rockwell's tower included 54 affordable homes to be offered at social rent, workspace for small businesses, a restaurant and a hub for local charities.

The scheme faced fierce opposition from residents and heritage groups, with locals raising particular concerns about its scale and impact on traffic.

Rob McGibbon, editor of The Chelsea Citizen, launched a petition calling for the plans to be scrapped, which gained more than 5,000 signatures and support from celebrities including Jagger, Clapton, Felicity Kendal, Anthea Turner, Harry Hill and Lord Browne of Madingley.

The application drew 2,028 objections on the council's planning portal and 1,892 letters of support.

Farrells A computer-generated image of the view of the tower from the sky, looking across the river — The inspector said the tower did not form part of a ribbon cluster of tall buildings, and would harm "spatial character"

Setting out the developer's case, Russell Harris KC argued the "elegant building of exemplary quality" would improve the character and appearance of its surroundings.

He said the site "should accept optimised change" and would allow for a landmark, high-quality tall building to be built with much-needed affordable housing to tackle the capital's housing crisis.

While Gilbert said the scheme would deliver the benefits of affordable housing, a community facility and offices, she gave "very substantial weight" to its negative impacts on the character and appearance of the area and how it conflicted with policy.

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