Tall Buildings SPD

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Welcome to the Tall Buildings SPD consultation page.

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is developing a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to guide and influence the design and planning of tall buildings across the Borough.

Your Feedback

At this early stage, we have prepared a survey seeking your valuable input and ideas as the Council develops this important planning policy project. You can share your feedback on our tall buildings survey here.

Workshops

We are currently in the process of gathering evidence to inform the draft document and as part of this process, we will be hosting workshops for areas across the borough focused towards residents, landowners, developers and other interested parties.

As part of these planned workshops, we will be presenting potential sites for tall building developments across the borough with modelled scenarios to consider the appropriate height and design of tall building structures. The defined areas and workshop details are as follows:

  • Tuesday 5pm 16 March 2021: Isle of Dogs and South Poplar (South Poplar, Canary Wharf, Millwall, Cubitt Town)
  • Thursday 5pm 18 March 2021: East of the Borough (Mile End, Bow, Bromley by Bow, Poplar Riverside, Leamouth, Poplar, Blackwall)
  • Tuesday 5pm 23 March 2021: Northern City Fringe and Central Area of the Borough (Shoreditch, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Stepney, Globe Town)
  • Thursday 5pm 25 March 2021: Riverside and Commercial Road (Limehouse, Shadwell, Aldgate, Wapping)

The workshops will be presented by the Council's appointed contractor Urban Initiatives Studio. If you would like to attend any of the above mentioned workshops, please let us know of your interest by emailing localplan@towerhamlets.gov.uk

The designated four sub-areas are shown in the below image:

We look forward to talking with you about this important plan for the future of the Tall Buildings SPD. If you would like to learn more about the project and the engagement we have undertaken so far, please continue reading below.

The Project

The development of tall buildings can positively contribute to the local environment and deliver significant growth to the local economy whilst also providing much needed homes. However, tall buildings can cause considerable harm to the character and identity of an area through individual or cumulative developments. Tall Buildings can also impact on the quality and safety of public spaces, generate adverse microclimate conditions, cause overshadowing and have a negative impact on amenity and views.

This project will seek to:

  • Define what a tall building is within the borough;
  • Identify locations where tall buildings may be appropriate;
  • Identify the character, setting and sensitivities of tall building zones;
  • Identify maximum heights that will be acceptable for tall buildings;
  • Consider tall building typologies in relation to building use, form, public realm, amenity, microclimate and quality of life.

Welcome to the Tall Buildings SPD consultation page.

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is developing a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to guide and influence the design and planning of tall buildings across the Borough.

Your Feedback

At this early stage, we have prepared a survey seeking your valuable input and ideas as the Council develops this important planning policy project. You can share your feedback on our tall buildings survey here.

Workshops

We are currently in the process of gathering evidence to inform the draft document and as part of this process, we will be hosting workshops for areas across the borough focused towards residents, landowners, developers and other interested parties.

As part of these planned workshops, we will be presenting potential sites for tall building developments across the borough with modelled scenarios to consider the appropriate height and design of tall building structures. The defined areas and workshop details are as follows:

  • Tuesday 5pm 16 March 2021: Isle of Dogs and South Poplar (South Poplar, Canary Wharf, Millwall, Cubitt Town)
  • Thursday 5pm 18 March 2021: East of the Borough (Mile End, Bow, Bromley by Bow, Poplar Riverside, Leamouth, Poplar, Blackwall)
  • Tuesday 5pm 23 March 2021: Northern City Fringe and Central Area of the Borough (Shoreditch, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Stepney, Globe Town)
  • Thursday 5pm 25 March 2021: Riverside and Commercial Road (Limehouse, Shadwell, Aldgate, Wapping)

The workshops will be presented by the Council's appointed contractor Urban Initiatives Studio. If you would like to attend any of the above mentioned workshops, please let us know of your interest by emailing localplan@towerhamlets.gov.uk

The designated four sub-areas are shown in the below image:

We look forward to talking with you about this important plan for the future of the Tall Buildings SPD. If you would like to learn more about the project and the engagement we have undertaken so far, please continue reading below.

The Project

The development of tall buildings can positively contribute to the local environment and deliver significant growth to the local economy whilst also providing much needed homes. However, tall buildings can cause considerable harm to the character and identity of an area through individual or cumulative developments. Tall Buildings can also impact on the quality and safety of public spaces, generate adverse microclimate conditions, cause overshadowing and have a negative impact on amenity and views.

This project will seek to:

  • Define what a tall building is within the borough;
  • Identify locations where tall buildings may be appropriate;
  • Identify the character, setting and sensitivities of tall building zones;
  • Identify maximum heights that will be acceptable for tall buildings;
  • Consider tall building typologies in relation to building use, form, public realm, amenity, microclimate and quality of life.