The City of London Corporation is to inspect the sky garden at the top of Land Securities’ and Canary Wharf Group’s Walkie Talkie, EC3, to determine whether it should be reconfigured to comply with its planning permission.
The layout of the area on the top three floors of the building differs substantially from the drawings submitted by the developers in their original planning application, according to the City, meaning the best views and ease of access is reserved for paying restaurant customers and not those visiting the free area.
LandSec and Canary Wharf have proposed some minor amendments to the layout of the area to bring it closer in line with the original drawing.
However, they said that revamping it to come completely into line with the “illustrative” image provided in the application would force its closure for a prolonged period.
The discrepancies between the actual layout and that proposed in the original application include:
- The servery at level 35 is larger than was shown on the plan
- The terraces on level 36 do not provide the equivalent views promised for non-diners and diners.
- No servery on level 36
- A missing staircase between levels 36 and 37, which means the circular route promised is not possible
- Level 37 terrace larger than shown
Members of the City of London Corporation’s planning committee have voted to adjourn a decision on whether to accept the minor amendments or whether to pursue more radical alterations until they have visited the site next month.
