Plans for what will be the tallest residential building in the UK were approved by Croydon Council last week
Permission was granted for two towers of 41 and 68 storeys, connected at the 11th floor by a swimming pool. At 236 metres high the scheme will beat both Spire London and Landmark Pinnacle, at 235m and 233m respectively. Both are under construction near Canary Wharf, E14.
Guildhouse Rosepride will develop the Croydon town centre scheme, which will provide 794 homes and 375,000 sq ft of office space. The plans also include 170 affordable homes, equating to 21% of the total. A bar, restaurant and viewing gallery accessible to the public are proposed for the 64th-66th floors of the main tower.
A similar scheme of 55 storeys and 400 homes originally gained consent in 2012.
Last year, Guildhouse Rosepride then submitted plans for two towers rising to 39 and 69 storeys, providing 917 homes. However, this was refused, mainly because of issues around the small unit sizes and their layout, as well as a lack of affordable housing. This was subsequently appealed, the outcome of which will be decided in a public inquiry due to commence in January 2018.
The latest iteration, now approved, increases the affordable offer, and decreases the number of homes, allowing larger unit sizes that are more in line with the planners’ aspiration.
The developer has a long-standing partnership with China Building Technique Group Co, but is also looking for a further joint venture partnership on the equity side.
Guildhouse Rosepride hopes to have mayoral sign-off at the GLA, and the s106 signed, by mid-October, after which it would withdraw the upcoming appeal.
If all goes to plan, construction could start by the middle of next year.
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