The Islington Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on 3 March 2025 to consider an application for planning permission for an office-led development on 48 Chiswell Street. The agenda also includes the confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 9 December 2024.

48 Chiswell Street, London EC1Y 4XX

The meeting report pack includes the re-submission of a planning application (P2023/3522/FUL), made by Bayshore Estates Ltd, for a large office-led development at 48 Chiswell Street. This is the third time this application has appeared in the Committee's schedule, having been deferred in November and December of 2024 for further information. The meeting documents describe a proposal for the partial demolition, recladding and refurbishment of the existing building. A two-storey roof extension to the existing building is also proposed to provide Class E(g)(i)¹ office floorspace, alongside Class E(a) retail use at ground level. The proposals also comprise the delivery of cycle parking at basement level alongside the provision of landscaped roof terraces, the installation of replacement plant equipment and associated enclosure, and all associated and ancillary works.

The application is a departure from Islington Council's Development Plan.

The application site is located within the Chiswell Street Conservation Area.

Building Height

The officer report notes that the application represents a departure from the development plan because the proposals would result in a tall building on a site without a tall building allocation.

The existing building at 48 Chiswell Street is 31.82m, making it a tall building according to the definition set out in local policy. Through the proposed extension works, the building height would increase to 37.95 metres – an increase in height of 6.13 metres, or 19%.

The report recognises that this may result in harm to the setting of heritage assets in the surrounding area. The report acknowledges Islington Council's Tall Buildings Policy which states:

buildings of more than 30 metres are only acceptable in-principle: (i) on sites allocated in the Local Plan where the allocation makes specific reference to suitability for heights of 30m or more; and/or (ii) within specific sites identified in a Spatial Strategy area.

The report confirms that

This is not such a designated site

Affordable Workspace

The report notes that:

Whilst no on-site affordable workspace is proposed, it is considered that this is adequately compensated for by the policy compliant £2.875 million contribution secured through the S106 agreement to be spent towards the off-site provision of affordable workspace.

Social Value

The report pack includes a draft Social Value Plan, prepared by BEAM, which sets out the applicant’s commitment to ensuring the development generates social value from the site to the benefit of local residents and enterprises.

The draft plan would be secured through an obligation in the S106 agreement.

The final Social Value Plan shall confirm how social value generated from the site is maximised through the delivery of a programme of activities directly aligned with local needs. The final Social Value Plan shall also confirm how tenant businesses shall be encouraged to participate in social value generation. Approval of the final Social Value Plan would be subject to consultation with the Ward Councillors and the Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Jobs.

The applicant would be required to submit an annual report for the duration of the implementation of the Social Value Plan based on quarterly monitoring updates.

The report pack includes the following list of examples of social value initiatives that may be included in the plan:

• Tenants Attendance at job fairs to advise on:
  • Current and upcoming vacancies / job opportunities
  • Guaranteed interview scheme(s)
  • CV workshop / interview skills;
• Local First London Living Wage (LLW) paid internships including promotion of World of Work opportunities;
• Local First Supply Chain opportunities i.e. first consideration to businesses within Bunhill, to provide the following key services (list not exhaustive):
  • Catering
  • Cleaning
  • Maintenance
  • FM
  • Security
  • Digital Marketing
  • Office Supplies
  • Printing;
• Updated notifications to tenants of locally based corporate volunteering schemes with council signposting to local stakeholders e.g. Soapbox; St Luke’s Centre.

Daylight and Sunlight Impacts

The report pack includes the results of a Daylight and Sunlight Assessment, carried out by GIA, which examined the impact the proposed development would have on the Whitbread Estate, Sundial Court, 1-80 Bunhill Row, and 42-46 Chiswell Street. The report concludes that whilst the impacts to daylight and sunlight would be significant, the impact would be reduced because some of the affected windows are located beneath balconies or overhangs, or are next to projecting stairwells.

The BRE guidance advises that such architectural features make windows more susceptible to daylight impacts and that, in such instances, even modest obstructions may result in a large relative impact on the amount of daylight received.

Planning Obligations

The report pack states that the development is subject to Section 106 obligations, including:

  o   Affordable Workspace Contribution of £2.875 million (in lieu of on-site provision) to be spent by the
      Council towards the provision of micro, small and/or affordable workspace facilities.
  o   A total financial contribution of no less than £1,080,000 (index linked) over 3 years towards the
      implementation of the agreed Social Value Plan. 

18-20 Tileyard Road, London N7 9AH

The report pack also includes an application (P2024/1461/FUL) to be considered by the Planning Committee, submitted by Kadans Science Partner, for the demolition and redevelopment of two buildings at 18-20 Tileyard Road, London. The application proposes the demolition of the existing buildings and their replacement with a five-storey building plus basement and set-back roof-level plant. The ground floor would be for light Industrial (Use Class E(g)(iii)), and the upper floors would be for flexible labs/R&D/light industrial (Use Class E(g)(ii-iii)). The proposal also includes waste storage, cycle parking, associated plant, landscaping and other necessary works.

The application site is located within the Vale Royal / Brewery Road Locally Significant Industrial Site (LSIS).

Affordable Workspace

The report pack states that the development will provide:

a significant contribution towards the Council’s Affordable Work Space programme

Design

The report pack states that the design:

continues the modular principle with strong emphasis with less glazing and the 4th floor is set back and provides terrace planting to reduce massing and visibility from Vale Royal Road and the Artist Studios to the rear.

The Anthony Gormley Studio is located behind the site on Vale Royal Road.

Servicing and Deliveries

The application proposes to utilise the loading bay at 22-23 Tileyard Road. This site is owned by the applicant.

Green Landscaping

The proposal will deliver a UGF² of 0.3.

Sustainability

The report notes that the development:

underperforms on regulated and total carbon emission targets

The report goes on to state that:

The planning application is also considered to comply with relevant standards and requirements relating to transport, inclusive design, safety and security.

Planning Obligations

The report pack states that the development would be subject to Section 106 obligations, including:

an off-site contribution of £1.39m has been provided towards Affordable Workspace