BUILDING 85 PUBLIC CONSULTATION
We are running a Public Consultation on the proposals for the new Building 85. All of the information about the building is set out on this page.
We’d love to hear your views, and you can send your feedback or ask the team a question using the form below. Our last date for accepting feedback will be Friday 8th January 2021.
Planning permission for Sugar House Island was originally granted in 2012 for 1,200 new homes, over 620,000 sqft of office space, a 350-bedroom hotel and new outdoor spaces.
Dane’s Yard, the Creative Quarter and first phase of commercial space is now complete, along with the first 160 homes in Botanical Mews. The second phase of residential and the new primary school are under construction with completion due in Summer 2021.
In January 2021 we will be submitting a Full Planning Application for a new building ‘Building 85’ on Sugar House Lane, to replace one of the site’s existing buildings. Unfortunately, due to changes in ground level which were made to mitigate potential flooding on site, we were unable to retain the original building as it would have sat recessed below the new ground level.
The design of the new building will be sympathetic to the original and sit on the same footprint.
The intention is for this building to be occupied by the Island’s central management team, including a place where residents can collect post, raise queries etc. It may also house a gym, a small office for a local business or a co-working space.
General Design
To mark the entrance of Building 85, double height openings have been incorporated into the North West corner of the building, facing the public realm. This entrance provides access to the ground floor lobby where the office facilities on levels one and two can be accessed as well as the concierge facilities at ground floor level. Additional entrances are located on the East and West facades to provide access to the ground floor flexible use space at the rear of the building.
In addition to the double height windows marking the entrance, the building also features a double pitched roof which is based on the design of the original building. A feature staircase has been located in front of the entrance in the north west corner of the building.
Materials
Building 85 adopts a simple yet rich material palette which celebrates its distinctiveness. Proposed materials prominently comprise Clay Fired Red Brick with a light mortar. Building 85 also features dark green glazed brick and dark grey metal work. These materials have been carefully chosen alongside those of Building MU4 to ensure that the buildings on the plot complement each other and their adjacent context.
Building 85 is located on Chimney Walk, a pedestrianised street with ground floor retail and mixed-use spaces above. Chimney Walk connects the two key roads on the Island, Sugar House Lane and Hunts Lane, which connect the site to the High Street. Pedestrian access to Chimney Walk is via these two roads or the gateways between the office buildings (MU2) which will run along the High Street.
Tactile paving has been introduced at crossing points to Sugar House Lane and where steps are necessary for access. Building 85 has flush access to each entrance at ground floor. Minimum circulatory areas and routes of 1.5m have been provided to ensure a wide enough turning circle for wheelchairs. Seating will also be provided at regular intervals throughout the public realm.
It is proposed that deliveries and servicing to Building 85 will be via the loading bay on Sugar House Lane. Cycle facilities are provided in a nearby commercial building (MU4) and within the public realm of Building 85.
Building 85 sits in close proximity to the mixed-use buildings of MU4, and adjacent to the commercial buildings of MU2. This composition of the buildings creates an area of public realm known as Chimney Walk. The key public space associated with Building 85 is known as Chimney Gardens, directly to the north of the plot. The public realm here continues the character of the emerging Sugar House Island development by using heritage materials, feature trees and seasonal planting.
A palette of high quality, bespoke street furniture, planting and trees creates a strong rhythm along Sugar House Lane including along the eastern façade of Building 85. Chimney Gardens is a pivotal open space within the proposals and aims to reflect the character of the Sugar House Lane Conservation Area with natural stone paving set beneath the first of three reinstated chimneys within the scheme.
To help increase biodiversity within the development we are proposing the inclusion of swift nesting boxes into the design of the rebuilt Chimney situated within ‘Chimney Gardens’ adjacent to Building 85.
Swift bricks provide an opportunity for swifts to occupy nesting accommodation. With nesting areas for the swift decreasing across the UK it is essential that the more nesting space becomes available to enable the swifts to continue breeding and raising their chicks. The Walthamstow Wetlands Tower is a prime example as it includes 54 specially designed swift bricks where the swifts can raise their young.
We are also proposing to incorporate an ‘Acer campestre’ (Field Maple) into the ‘Yard of Note’. This will have the benefit of absorbing and holding carbon within its mass thereby contributing to reducing global warming throughout its lifetime. The Field Maple can support a plethora of wildlife and is positive for bio-diversity. It is attractive to aphids and their predators, including many species of ladybird, hoverfly and bird. Lots of species of moth, such as the mocha, feed on its leaves. The flowers provide nectar and pollen sources for bees and birds, and small mammals eat the fruits.
As biodiversity and climate change are inherently interconnected, we fully understand the importance of protecting vulnerable species and encouraging healthy ecosystems to thrive no matter how small.
The northern part of Sugar House Island, near to the High Street, is the main employment area. The north East Quarter, Dane’s Yard, is already partially occupied by companies including Phaidon (publisher) and The Print House (bar and restaurant). MU2, once complete, will also be a key employment area on the site.
Following receipt and consideration of your comments, we are hoping to submit the planning application for Building 85 in mid-January 2021.
Once submitted you will be able to view this application on the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) website. The LLDC will consult on this application for 21 days, which means you will have another opportunity to make comments on the proposed development. The LLDC is likely to make a decision on the application in early May 2021.
If you would like to get in contact to ask questions or make comments please fill in the form below.
