Hammerson and Ballymore have adjusted their most recent proposals for London’s Bishopsgate Goodsyard to increase the number of homes in the scheme by 250 to take it to a total of 500.
The joint venture partners launched a public consultation in October on their revised plans for the 10-acre site in Shoreditch after scrapping previous controversial proposals, which included two skyscrapers.
The latest revision to the plans will also include a significant increase in the size of the proposed park to just over three acres, with the removal of a previously proposed building, as well as increasing the number of homes to 500, up from the 250 proposed last autumn, of which 35% will be affordable.
Hammerson and Ballymore have now launched a second consultation on the rejigged proposals, which runs until 9 March.
The revised plans focus on flexible workspace and the creative industries, which the developers said allowed for lower building heights and reduced density, with the tallest building in the scheme – a 750,000 sq ft office building designed by Eric Parry Architects – dropping from 46 storeys to 29 storeys.
The proposals include 1.4m sq ft of offices and affordable workspace, 175,000 sq ft of retail, a destination building for cultural space on Brick Lane, as well as exhibition space along London Road beneath an elevated park.
At street level, the plans include a new east-west pedestrian street running from Brick Lane to Shoreditch High Street and the listed Braithwaite Viaduct arches opened up to the public. In addition, Oriel Gate will be restored to become the “gateway” entrance to the site from Shoreditch High Street.
Hammerson and Ballymore’s original proposals for the site would have seen 1,356 new homes, 700,000 sq ft of office space and 180,000 sq ft of retail space created.
John Mulryan, group managing director at Ballymore, said: “Bishopsgate Goodsyard is an incredible site, packaged with a great deal of challenges. Thanks to a combination of more than five different railway lines and tunnels passing through this site, as well as many heritage assets and structures to be brought back into use, there are a number of site constraints in play.
“The site offers significant development potential that is also capable of being sensitive to the townscape. As we move into the next stage of our consultation on the revised proposals, we hope it is evident that we have reflected on feedback received to date, and that our revised proposal delivers for London’s growth with sensitivity for the area and its community.”
Tony Coughlan, development manager at Hammerson, added: “Working closely with the GLA and the local boroughs, we have reviewed our proposals with the aim of further optimising the number of homes, while maintaining a balanced mixed of uses.
“We are now proposing 500 residential units across the site and have increased the size of the public park in response to local feedback, creating a large uninterrupted green space for the community.”
“We are excited to bring forward this updated masterplan, which we feel realises local ambitions and converts this derelict area into a vibrant new space; bringing a currently unused site back to life in the heart of Shoreditch.”
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