Sir Terry Farrell may not be wholly mollified to learn that Westminster City Council is secretly encouraging a cluster of skyscrapers to complement Irvine Sellar’s planned 72-storey tower at Paddington Station.
The UK’s leading masterplanner – and a local resident – wrote to the council on 8 January, attacking proposals for the 254m tower as “opportunistic” and “piecemeal”.
No wonder. Between its unveiling in October and submission for planning in December the Renzo Piano-designed “Paddington Pencil” grew by a magical seven storeys.
Why? Basically because Westminster felt it opportune to allow more floors to garner additional section 106 cash to pay for a proper subway link into the station.
“There is potential for at least four other very tall towers in the vicinity,” says a well-placed observer, pointing to sites earmarked for mid-sized towers by British Land at Paddington Basin, the Reuben brothers at Merchant Square and Berkeley at West End Green.
“They will all be waiting to see how Irvine fares on 8 March, when the council considers his plans. The ‘growth faction’ are keen on taller towers. If Irvine wins, it will give a green light to others to add dozens of storeys.”
Be still those beating hearts – a very influential councillor confides: “I expect the tower to be refused. It is not in line with policy.” His response when told that some colleagues are keen on a tall tower cluster is unprintable.
Let the fight begin.
Housing disassociation
A housing association is set to be taken to court by a London council for selling affordable homes at full price, instead of reserving them for the needy.
Developers regularly pass on off-site affordable obligations to housing associations and let them get on with the job. There are surprisingly few post-agreement checks apparently.
Fortunately, this particular council decided to check. Full particulars will emerge, once the legal papers have been served on the guilty party. In the meantime, it might be worth other councils checking.
Sweet and sour tale
Christian Candy and Barratt are unlikely partners. But the pair will finally start work in the late spring on 165 Foster + Partners flats at Sugar Quay, close to Tower Bridge.
This news comes after a three-and-a-half year struggle by the 41-year-old younger brother of Nick Candy.
Christian’s CPC Group paid £34m in March 2012 for the vile concrete offices. In 2013, permission was granted to build ritzy flats with the proviso that CPC pay the City £15m for affordable homes, built off-site. But in February 2014, Christian said a new viability study showed only £7.5m could be afforded.
The City said the equivalent of “you must be bloody kidding!” After more than 18 months of wrangling, planning inspector Ava Wood told Barratt and Candy in November that they must pay the whole £15m.
Big grins all round at the City.
New house for Cavalry
The five-year siege at Hyde Park Barracks may end in 2016.
The home of the Household Cavalry in Knightsbridge enjoys a 450-yard frontage on the park. The six-acre site is worth around £500m. A successful defence of any sale has been mounted since 2011 by generals, insisting a home within a 35-minute clip-clop of Horse Guards Parade must be found before they trot off.
In 2012, CBRE reported a “strong response” from developers. Since then the Ministry of Defence has said no to any sale, citing the lack of suitable stables. But resistance to a move, possibly to Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk, SW1, is said to be crumbling.
However, those thinking about buying the barracks should still beware. “The great and the good of the area will call upon Prince Charles and fight any proposal tooth and nail,” says a Westminster councillor, recalling the rumpus over the original plans for Chelsea Barracks.
