Bishopsgate site could support housing without loss of historic arches, say locals
A run-down goods yard in central London could yield 500 mixed-tenure homes, according to local community proposals.

It is expected that London mayor Ken Livingstone will intervene to secure the maximum number of affordable homes on the site as a condition of granting planning permission. A spokeswoman for the mayor said: "His general attitude would be to maximise planning gain on any scheme that came to him."

The 4 ha Bishopsgate Goods Yard is the subject of a dispute between London Underground and local pressure groups. LU plans to demolish several arches to accommodate an extension to the East London Tube line. But the Environment Trust, which has coordinated local opinion about the yard and conducted research with engineer Buro Happold, says this would be a waste.

Jon Aldenton, the Trust's chief executive, said: "The yard used to support massive steam engines, so we reckon the Tube line could be built on top of the existing structure and [it could] still take up to 400-500 new homes."

Buro Happold's research found that it would be possible to build "up to five storeys on top of the existing arches". There would also be scope for building the homes towards the east end of the site.

A spokesman for Railtrack, which owns the land, said it was in the process of appointing a masterplanner for the site and there were no firm plans for a housing element.

He said: "The eventual masterplanner will have a complete blank canvas and as far as housing is concerned, they will have to look at local planning restrictions."

But whoever wins the masterplanning contract may have no choice, said Ben Derbyshire, a director at social housing architect HTA, which also contributed to Aldenton's work.

"They will have to cater for a planning gain package and I will be astonished if it doesn't include a large amount of housing," he said.

Source

Housing Today