Residential towers scheme at east London estate gets green light

The 2,000-home regeneration of the Teviot Estate in east London has been given the green light by Tower Hamlets council.

Developer Hill and social landlord Poplar Harca sent architect BPTW back to the drawing board to redesign four towers on the 8.3ha estate redevelopment, which was originally scheduled to start construction in the spring.

The pair asked for the redesign after the local council raised concerns about loss of daylight and overlooking.

It was the second delay to have hit the £800 scheme after it was redesigned to add second staircases following the introduction of fire safety requirements for additional means of escape in buildings above 18m in the event of a fire.

First submitted for planning in June last year, the scheme consists of 21 building plots and blocks up to 30 storeys in height on the site of the existing 1950s estate in Poplar.

The amendments have seen two 24-storey towers heightened by two storeys, a pair of linked 18-storey towers combined into one 22-storey block and another tower increased from 16 to 19 storeys.

An open space at the centre of the development has also been increased in size by 456 sq m and a play space has been relocated to the open space as part of the redesign, which was submitted as a fresh design and access statement in March.

The development will include 508 new affordable homes, with the homes delivered over four phases with the entire regeneration completed by 2042.

The first phase will now start on site in 2026, delivering 475 new homes, of which 44% will be affordable (140 for social rent and 24 for shared ownership), with first completions expected by 2028.

The regeneration will also provide new open spaces and play areas, shops, community and faith facilities, including a new mosque and investment in local infrastructure.

Hill Group chief executive Andy Hill said: “Securing planning permission means we can now move forward with our shared vision, which prioritises creating high-quality homes and improved communal spaces that reflect the needs of residents.”

And Paul Dooley, director of regeneration and development at Poplar Harca, added: “The plans include a mix of affordable homes, with a strong focus on family-sized housing to tackle overcrowding in Tower Hamlets, as well as investment in community facilities and projects that will benefit the neighbourhood for years to come.”

The project team also includes planning consultant Lichfields, structural and civil engineer Lichfields, transport consultant Waterman, landscape architect Outerspace and accessibility consultant David Bonnett Associates.