Doon Street Tower gets Government approval

Communities Secretary of State Hazel Blears has granted approval for a 144-metre residential tower on London’s South Bank.

The high rise development on Doon Street also includes a public swimming and indoor leisure centre and a new home for the Ballet Rambert.

The scheme was approved against the advice of the planning inspector, who held a call-in public inquiry earlier this year.

The proposals from Coin Street Community Builders (a not-for-for-profit social enterprise community company) were backed by the planning authority Lambeth Council, local MP Kate Hoey and a number of high profile architects, including Lord Rogers and Sir Terry Farrell.

But critics claim the scheme will damage key views of the capital.

The Communities Secretary of State acknowledged the 144 metre-high residential tower would harm the settings of the Strand and Roupell Street conservation areas and Somerset House.
 
However, she insisted that the settings of the Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre and the views from St James's Park footbridge would be safeguarded.

Blears added that the tower's drawbacks would be outweighed by the "substantial" community benefits of the wider scheme.

Iain Tuckett, the group director of Coin Street Community Builders, said: "In place of a car park we will have London’s best public swimming and indoor leisure centre, the headquarters of Rambert Dance Company with its three dance studios, 329 new homes, a town square linked to Waterloo Bridge, possibly a new university faculty building and, across one road the National Theatre, and across the other award-winning housing co-operatives. This is community building with style!"

In a statement, English Heritage complained that the stance of the Secretary of State was "incomprehensible."

The heritage advisor added: "We are appalled to learn that the Secretary of State has not only overturned the advice of English Heritage as her expert advisors, but she has also chosen to ignore the opinion of an independent inspector.

"There are alternative options that would have provided the same community benefits but would have been more sensitive, without causing serious damage to historic buildings spaces and views.

"Obviously we do not consider this matter closed and we are considering our next steps and the options open to us."

Read the Secretary of State's descision

Read the Coin Street Community Builders press release

Read the English Heritage statement

Roger Milne

21 August 2008