Author: henryp

Proposals for ‘Mitre Yard’ in Scrubs Lane

Following on from planning applications from Aurora Developments for their scheme at ‘North Kensington Gate’ proposals have emerged for a second major residential development on Scrubs Lane NW10.

City and Docklands have exhibited initial plans for a site to be rebranded as Mitre Yard.  The site is that occupied by European Metals Recycling, just north of Mitre Bridge and the Grand Union Canal.

The scheme is mainly residential, for private renting, with employment and retail space at ground floor level.  The architects are Make.

Initial proposals for Mitre Yard
Initial proposals for Mitre Yard

The interim neighbourhood forum will not be submitting its own comments on a planning application, or on pre-application proposals.  As with other applications, we will leave it to the existing residents associations in the area and other bodies (Canals and River Trust, Friends of Wormwood Scrubs) to make their views known.

The proposed density is 400 housing units per hectare (as compared with 450 at North Kensington Gate).  This is classed as ‘medium’ density in terms of OPDC Draft Policy OSP4.  In terms of the London Plan Density Matrix it is at the top of the range, appropriate for ‘Central’ locations with the highest Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL scores).

As with North Kensington Gate, the developers are arguing that the location will ultimately achieve these high PTAL levels.  But until the HS2/Crossrail interchange and a new Overground station at Hythe Road are open, Scrubs Lane has very poor public transport accessibility.  The scheme is proposed as ‘car-free’.

The proposed scheme includes a residential tower (18-20 storeys) along with 6-8 storey blocks.  The tower is placed at the northern part of the site, furthest from the canal.

Image of Mitre Yard scheme
Image of Mitre Yard scheme

A planning application for the Mitre Yard scheme is expected to be submitted in early 2017.  Pre-application discussions with OPDC planners are in progress.

Ground floor plan of Mitre Yard scheme
Ground floor plan of Mitre Yard scheme

 

OPDC publishes shortlist for its Old Oak masterplan

At the end of September, tenders were issued by the OPDC for a £3m masterplanning exercise for Old Oak.

A large portion of the land within OPDC’s boundary area of Old Oak and Park Royal is brownfield public land.  The Government has agreed in principle to transfer this land to the OPDC.

The total boundary area under OPDC’s control is 650ha and the core development area of Old Oak is 134ha. Of this, the public sector owns, and is now releasing, 97ha.

The OPDC will therefore become a major developer at Old Oak, as well as the planning authority deciding on planning applications.  It will be selecting in early 2017 a consortium of planning consultants, architects and advisers to prepare a masterplan and to submit this for outline planning approval.

The choice of masterplanner will have a big impact on what is ultimately built at Old Oak.   The interim Neighbourhood Forum will be watching closely the process of selection of the successful tenderer.

 

The full shortlist

  • Aecom (lead supplier) with team members – BIG, Bilfinger, GVA, Fluid, Maccreanor Lavington, PBA, Weston Williamson, Spacehub, Wilkinson Eyre, East
  • Allies & Morrison (lead supplier) with team members – Diener & Diener, Weston Williamson, Muf, HHBR, Andersen Hunter Horn, Waterman Group, Steer Davies Gleave, Turner & Townsend, Fluid, Nathaniel Lichfield + Partners, Centre for London, Metephor
  • Arup (lead supplier) with team members – KCAP, Gustafson Porter, S333, PAU, Turner + Townsend, People Friendly Design, London Communications Agency
  • Farrells & Heatherwick Studio (lead supplier) with team members – Exterior Architecture, Arup, Arcadis, Bio Regional, ATK11, Steer Davies Gleave, Turleys, Volterra, GHD Rail Engineering, Colliers, Soundings, London Communications Agency, Flexeye, Siemens
  • Grimshaw (lead supplier) with team members – FutureCity, LDA, QUOD, Amec Foster Wheeler, Urban Strategies, Rick Mather Architects, DK-CM, Soundings, Mott MacDonald, RLB, Steer Davies Gleave
  • Hawkins Brown (lead supplier) with team members – Kathryn Firth, White, Metropolitan Workshop, Benedetti Architects, Grant Associates, Turley, Donald Insall Assocs, Pell Frischmann, Tyrens, Phil Jones Assocs, Turner + Townsend, Soundings, Social Life, Fourth Street
  • Karakuesvic Carson Architects & 5th Studio (lead supplier) with team members – We Made That, Agence Ter, Alan Baxter, AKT11, Quod, Hoare Lea, Soundings, EC Harris/Arcadis