Commercial Estates Group has appointed Squire and Partners architects to conduct a design review of the controversial Columbus Tower project.
The 63-storey tower is set to be based on the Isle of Dogs near Canary Wharf and will contain 315,000 sq ft of offices, a 192-bedroom hotel and 70 flats. When the scheme was first proposed, it was rejected by Tower Hamlets council due to worries over the effect to listed buildings in the West India Quay conservation area.
In late 2009, mayor Boris Johnson stepped in and gave the go-ahead for the tower, using new planning powers for the first time to overturn a local council’s decision to refuse permission. The move was condemned by Johnson’s opponents and was seen by many as breaking election pledges by the mayor to clamp down on skyscrapers ruining the capital’s heritage sights and giving residents more power in planning applications.
The new review, which is aiming to find out if the scheme can be “improved”, is to begin immediately, finishing in late spring and from this point CEG and Squire and Partners will discuss possible ways forward.
Nick Lee of CEG said:”Hertsmere House is a fantastic development opportunity so we want to build the best scheme possible. Columbus Tower is a good solution for the site, but we want to explore whether or not it can be improved. The economy has been through some major upheavals recently, so it’s a good time to re-evaluate.
james.a.kenny@estatesgazette.com
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