Move follows Greater London Authority’s decision not to intervene in redevelopment of former ITV studios
Make Architects’ controversial proposals to redevelop the former ITV headquarters on London’s South Bank are facing renewed requests to be subjected to ministerial call-in, despite receiving an effective thumbs-up from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
The practice’s plans for Mitsubishi Estate and CO-RE would see the demolition of all current buildings on the site for replacement with an office-led development featuring a 26-storey tower and a 13-storey counterpart, linked by a six-storey podium.
Mitsubishi and CO-RE won backing for the scheme from Lambeth Council in March. However then-housing secretary Michael Gove placed a so-called Article 31 notice on the decision, preventing the start of work while ministers decide whether the scheme needs further scrutiny.
Earlier this month it emerged that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has decided not to use his planning powers to intervene in Lambeth’s decision, after it was referred to the Greater London Authority.
A letter from Jules Pipe, Khan’s deputy mayor for planning, regeneration and skills, set out the GLA’s position.
“Having now considered a report on this case, I am content to allow the local planning authority to determine the case itself, subject to any action that the secretary of state may take, and do not therefore wish to direct refusal or take over the application for my own determination,” he wrote.
The South Bank proposals have attracted significant opposition from local group the Coin Street Community Group, constituency MP Florence Eshalomi, and campaign group the Twentieth Century Society.
The GLA’s decision prompted the C20 Society to write to current housing secretary Greg Clark urging him to call in the proposals for ministerial determination, based on the findings of a planning-inspector-led inquiry.
It said: “C20 has objected to the plans on the basis that the proposed new building in its current form would significantly harm the setting of the adjacent listed buildings – the National Theatre (1969-76) and IBM Building (1979-84), both by architect Denys Lasdun – and have a profoundly detrimental effect on the special character and appearance of the riverfront site, which is both a designated conservation area and positive contributor to strategic London views.”
The society said the South Bank was home to some of the country’s finest postwar buildings and public spaces, with its heritage significance recognised in numerous listings and its designation as a conservation area.
The group stated that the 1982 designation report for conservation-area status stressed the importance that “care is taken” to ensure sensitive changes to existing buildings and spaces. But it pointed to figures indicating that plans for the former ITV complex would result in an 225% increase in size compared with the buildings currently on-site.
“The society considers that the proposed development would be an over-development of a site within a sensitive historic environment,” it said.
“The development’s substantial size and heavy, riverfront-loaded massing would impact on close views of postwar listed buildings from the Queen’s Walk and would impede wide views, particularly of the Grade II* National Theatre from Blackfriars Bridge to the east.
“We have encouraged the applicant to revise the design to substantially reduce the building’s height and riverfront front massing.”
Government heritage adviser Historic England has also warned the development would be harmful to strategic views of St Paul’s Cathedral and Somerset House, as well as the National Theatre and the IBM building.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities confirmed it was aware of the GLA’s decision not to use its planning powers to intervene with the proposals but said that the Article 31 notice was still in place.
“A decision [by secretary of state Greg Clark] on whether or not to call in this application will be made in due course,” it said in a statement.
Shortly before the proposals were effectively put on ice with the announcement of the Article 31 notice, it emerged Lendlease had won a £400m contract for the redevelopment, named “Project Vista”, beating Sir Robert McAlpine and Laing O’Rourke to the job.
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