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Tower Hamlets set to approve Britain's tallest tower
Ruth Bloomfield31.03.09
PLANS for Britain's tallest residential skyscraper are due to be approved this week.
Tower Hamlets council is expected to give its consent to the 62-storey tower on the Isle of Dogs on Thursday night after a report by council planners recommended that it is allowed to go ahead.
The block in Westferry Road will include 430 flats, while an annexe building will have a 203-bedroom hotel, restaurants, health club and car park.
Developer Glenkerrin has named the tower The Pride in honour of the pub - The City Pride - it will replace. The building has been designed by Foster and Partners.
Tower Hamlets council is also due to approve another new London landmark- a 43-storey multicoloured tower at the same meeting. Angel House is clad in stainless steel and coloured glass panels giving it a rainbow effect. It has been nicknamed the "Number One" because of its distinctive overhanging upper floor.
The tower stands almost 132 metres high, and will contain office space, 302 apartments and shops.
Reader views (5)
Glenkerrin did such a bad job of deceiving the people here in Ealing that they had to halve the size of their plan - and the plans have still been called in by the Govt.
This one looks like another one of their pipe dreams.
- Ray O'Grady, Ealing, London
Never mind The Pride, this development should be called The Shame. This would be one of the most dense developments ever seen in London, with minimal amenities, virtually no parking, and the affordable housing tucked in a corner almost 2 miles away.
Glenkerrin overpaid for the site at the top of the market, and local people will be left with the bill.
If councillors listen to local people, they will be set to refuse this application whenever the meeting takes place.
- Barkantine Bob, Isle of Dogs, London
This meeting has been postponed until the 15th April because of the nearby G20 meeting. It is packed with large contentious schemes and there will not be sufficient time for councillors to properly consider them, which I think is deliberate.
One overdevelopment of 208 flats opposite my home in Bow was given planning permission last year. Some residents were so incensed that they funded their own Judicial Review. The result is that the council is putting a duplicate application through at this meeting, claiming that the previous thousands of objections don't apply. Frankly this one stinks, and councillors need to be careful, or it may come back to bite them.
- Bow Resident, London
They can approve what they like but a residential tower this height makes no financial sense to developer or purchaser. To avoid living in a white elephant I would advise any flat buyer to insist on a buy back clause if the block is not 90% sold within 2 years but of course thats worthless if they go bust. As to lift maintenance take out a second mortgage.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, England
I like the idea of naming the building after the pub. Would be a nice community benefit if a pub is included into the project. Otherwise, this very slim residential tower appears to be a good fit at Canary Wharf.
- John W, Ottawa, Canada
