News

CABE offers mixed tidings for four major schemes

News

Piers Wehner

23 October 2001

Retail

The architecture watchdog said that the Shell complex proposals, which include removing pedestrian access at first-floor level, would end a valuable opportunity to provide access to the South Bank from Waterloo Station.

The plans comprise around 30,000 sq m (322,928 sq ft) of offices, to be developed as a stand-alone building to the right of the Shell Tower, between Belvedere Road and York Road, as well as shops, restaurants and cafes.

CABE advocates access at first floor-level to provide a link to the new Hungerford Bridge. The design review added that “the project still does not feel like a coherent whole,” and has “too much clutter”.

However, CABE today gave the thumbs up to the Bristol Temple Quay North masterplan drawn up by URBED and John Rowland Urban Design. It said the mixed-use scheme, which comprises offices, 500 apartments, retail, communal and leisure facilities developed on 7ha (17.390 acres), was “convincing and robust” and took account of the numerous historic buildings around the site.

CABE also commended The West Stevenage Consortium’s masterplan for the redevelopment of west Stevenage. The consortium, which is made up of Persimmon, Bryant Homes, Redrow, Leach and Wilcon, plans to develop 5,000 homes as well as business space capable of creating 3,500 jobs, and a range of leisure, social and community facilities.

CABE added that further thought was needed about the landscaping and the mix of different buildings on the site.

CABE also said that RHWL’s designs for P&O’s mixed-use York Way scheme at King’s Cross, N1, had made good progress.

The 46,860 sq m (504,400 sq ft) scheme had comprised offices and a 361-bed hotel. But proposals were revised to include a “significant” amount of housing, a smaller hotel, and a health club after Islington council rejected P&O’s original application in March.

EGi News 23/10/01

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) today backed three schemes, but raised concerns about Lend Lease/Shell’s plans to redevelop the Shell complex on London’s South Bank. The architecture watchdog said that the Shell complex proposals, which include removing pedestrian access at first-floor level, would end a valuable opportunity to provide access to the South Bank from Waterloo Station. The plans comprise around 30,000 sq m (322,928 sq ft) of offices, to be developed as a stand-alone building to the right of the Shell Tower, between Belvedere Road and York Road, as well as shops, restaurants and cafes. CABE advocates access at first floor-level to provide a link to the new Hungerford Bridge. The design review added that “the project still does not feel like a coherent whole,” and has “too much clutter”. However, CABE today gave the thumbs up to the Bristol Temple Quay North masterplan drawn up by URBED and John Rowland Urban Design. It said the mixed-use scheme, which comprises offices, 500 apartments, retail, communal and leisure facilities developed on 7ha (17.390 acres), was “convincing and robust” and took account of the numerous historic buildings around the site. CABE also commended The West Stevenage Consortium’s masterplan for the redevelopment of west Stevenage. The consortium, which is made up of Persimmon, Bryant Homes, Redrow, Leach and Wilcon, plans to develop 5,000 homes as well as business space capable of creating 3,500 jobs, and a range of leisure, social and community facilities. CABE added that further thought was needed about the landscaping and the mix of different buildings on the site. CABE also said that RHWL’s designs for P&O’s mixed-use York Way scheme at King’s Cross, N1, had made good progress. The 46,860 sq m (504,400 sq ft) scheme had comprised offices and a 361-bed hotel. But proposals were revised to include a “significant” amount of housing, a smaller hotel, and a health club after Islington council rejected P&O’s original application in March. EGi News 23/10/01