TALL BUILDINGS
Client: Viewpoint Estates
Counsel: Christopher Young KC
Architect: BPTW
Townscape: Dr Chris Miele
Project overview: Heritage expert witness on behalf of the Appellant, in support of the proposal for a mixed-use scheme with three tall buildings stepping up to 17 storeys. Involvement included pre-application submission and meetings (Council, Historic England, Conservation Advisory Group), advice and a Heritage Statement in support of the full application.
A key heritage asset was the grade II* listed Southgate Underground Station, approximately 200 metres from the application site. The underground station was designed by Charles Holden of Adams, Holden and Pearson for the London Passenger Transport Board and it opened in March 1933. Associated with the station are the station pylons to the north and south of the station (also listed grade II*) and Station Parade (listed grade II).
The application site immediately adjoined the Southgate Circus Conservation Area, and a 19th century pub within the conservation area.
More distant heritage assets included Grovelands Park Hospital (listed grade I); a grand country house of 1797, designed by John Nash, set in a landscaped parkland by Humphry Repton and laid out as a public park in early 20th century. The grounds Grovelands Park Hospital is registered at grade II*.
The Inspector agreed with the assessment that, while the setting of the station complex, and the individual listed buildings that make it up, would change as a result of the proposal, the change would not be harmful to the setting of the complex or the individual buildings within it, or their significance as a group, or as individual buildings. The inspector likewise found no harm to the conservation area.
Client: HFS Developments 2 Ltd
Counsel: Zack Simons
Architect: Henley Halebrown
Townscape: Professor Robert Tavernor
Project overview: Heritage expert witness on behalf of the Applicant, in support of the proposals for an exceptional 100% affordable housing scheme in a 17 storey building. Involvement included pre-application submission and meetings, advice and a Heritage Statement in support of the full application, as well as dealing with representations against the scheme prior to the Committee meeting.
A key heritage asset was the grade II* listed Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, along with its attached grade II listed presbytery, approximately 100 metres from the application site. The church was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin; it was one of only three major commissions he received after 1846, and remains his only complete parish church in London.
The church is located in the Central Fulham Conservation Area, which was also a key heritage asset at the inquiry.
Other heritage assets considered included a total of 57 listed buildings, 14 conservation areas and one registered park and garden (the Brompton Cemetery) within a 1km radius search area around the application site.
Client: Notting Hill Gate KCS Limited
Counsel: Christopher Katkowski KC
Planning Consultant: Quod
Project overview: Heritage expert witness on behalf of applicant, in support of the proposals for the demolition of the existing buildings and a mixed-use redevelopment, across six buildings (ranging from ground plus 2 storeys to ground plus 17 storeys), at a call-in Inquiry.
Heritage assets included four immediately adjoining conservation areas (Kensington Conservation Area; Kensington Palace Conservation Area; Pembridge Conservation Area; and Ladbroke Conservation Area), listed buildings, including the immediately adjacent Notting Hill Gate Underground Station, Kensington Palace (listed grade I, located within the Kensington Palace Conservation Area and Kensington Gardens grade I registered park and garden); and villas along Kensington Palace Gardens (listed grade II and II*, located within the Kensington Palace Conservation Area).
Client: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Counsel: Sasha White KC
Project overview: This case was the subject of the controversial decision by Robert Jenrick MP (then Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government), which disagreed with the Inspector’s dismissal of the scheme but which was then overturned following a Judicial Review, and redetermined in November 2021. In both cases the Secretary of State agreed with the Inspector about heritage harms (there were differences in the overall planning balance between the firs and the second SoS decisions), and the appeal was dismissed on 18 November 2021.
Ignus acted as the heritage expert witness on behalf of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, against the proposals for a scheme of tall buildings up to 43 storeys, following an earlier approval for lower buildings on the same site. The key heritage assets were the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site (including the listed buildings contained within it) and the grade I listed Tower Bridge.
The Inspector agree that the appearance of the proposed towers between the twin domes of the Old Royal Naval College would distract from the ability to appreciate the two domes as a symmetrical pair, and that it would harm their significance.
Likewise, the Inspector agreed that there are important views in the direction of Tower Bridge from London Bridge, in which the distinctive silhouette of Tower Bridge can be appreciated against the sky without the interruption of background buildings. The Inspector agreed that the scheme would interrupt this and cause less than substantial harm.
Client: Tottenham Hotspur Football & Athletic Co. Ltd
Architect: F3 Architecture
Counsel: Chris Katkowski KC
Planning Consultant: Quod
Project overview: Heritage expert witness dealing with the impacts of a residential-led mixed use redevelopment, including two tall buildings. Heritage assets assessed included the Tottenham Historic Corridor/North Tottenham Conservation Area, the grade II listed The Grange on White Hart Lane and the adjacent unlisted Station Master’s House. Whilst at Heritage Collective.
867-879 TOTTENHAM HIGH ROAD
867-879 TOTTENHAM HIGH ROAD, HARINGEY, LONDON N17 8EY
Client: Tottenham Hotspur Football & Athletic Co. Ltd
Architect: F3 Architecture
Planning Consultant: Quod
Project overview: Heritage consultant dealing with setting for a hybrid planning application (part Full/Part Outline) for the demolition of existing buildings & structures and redevelopment of the site for a residential led mixed-use scheme with up to 330 residential units, including a tall building of up to 29 storeys. Setting assessment and response to representations made during determination.
