London mayor gives Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme green light

Final planning approval has been granted by the London mayor to Ballymore and Hammerson’s 500-home Bishopsgate Goodsyard development.

Sadiq Khan gave approval in principle to the scheme at a public hearing in 2020, but on Friday the GLA finally issued legal planning permission, listed building consent and a section 106 agreement for the major redevelopment of the City fringe site, which sits on border of Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

The developers of the original PLP-designed scheme for the site were forced to go back to the drawing board in 2016 after GLA officials recommended refusal of the original proposals, which featured 1,400 homes in towers of up to 46 storeys, following a vigorous campaign against the plans by Hackney.

The new masterplan, drawn up by a different architect, FaulknerBrowns, includes 10 buildings and just over a third as many homes, with a 29-storey office block designed by Eric Parry Architects marking its highest point. As well as housing, the scheme includes 131,000 sq m of business use and an 11,000 sq m hotel, plus a further 18,400 sq m of retail, financial and professional services usage. It will also get a New York-style high line park.

The applications approved includes outline permission for the whole eight-phase masterplan, as well as detailed permission for the first phase, which has to be commenced within the next three years. A reserved matters application for the next phase must also be submitted within three years from now.

The Section 106 agreement negotiated by City Hall will see the developers pay £71m in Community Infrastructure Levy and affordable housing contributions to the GLA and the two London boroughs, plus a further £7m toward new bus infrastructure. Half of the homes will be affordable.