The Strategic Development Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, to discuss and decide on two significant planning applications. The committee granted planning permission for a major redevelopment project at Mastmaker Court and also approved plans for a new residential building at 35A Commercial Road.

Mastmaker Court Redevelopment

The committee granted planning permission for the redevelopment of Mastmaker Court, located at 20-34 Mastmaker Road, London E14 9BU. This hybrid planning application, which included both detailed and outline components, proposed the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of a large-scale purpose-built shared living accommodation, residential units, community space, and a publicly accessible open space. The outline component of the application was for the delivery of a school.

The proposal includes the construction of a 42-storey co-living block with 843 units and a 27-storey block providing 153 affordable homes. The development also features a community hub and 4,994 square metres of public space, including a public park. A key benefit highlighted was the provision of 42% on-site affordable housing, with a strong emphasis on family-sized social rent homes. The application also included plans for an Alternative Provision School, addressing an identified need within the borough.

Concerns were raised regarding the height and scale of the proposed buildings, potential impacts on daylight and sunlight for neighbouring properties, and the loss of industrial floor space. However, officers concluded that the significant public benefits, including the provision of affordable housing, the new school, and community facilities, outweighed the identified harms. The committee voted unanimously in favour of granting planning permission.

35A Commercial Road Development

The committee also granted planning permission for the development at 35A Commercial Road, London E1 1LB. This application proposed the demolition of the existing building and the erection of a new 19-storey residential building comprising 70 homes, with community/flexible commercial floor space at ground level. Of the 70 homes, 13 would be affordable, all delivered as social rent and family-sized units, equating to 35% affordable housing by habitable room.

The proposal was noted to be a tall building located outside a designated Tall Building Zone, and it did not fully meet the exception criteria outlined in the Local Plan policy D.DH6. The loss of the existing Morrison Buildings North, a non-designated heritage asset, was acknowledged as causing less than substantial harm. Additionally, concerns were raised about potential impacts on daylight, sunlight, privacy, and outlook for neighbouring properties, particularly the Dryden Building. The provision of child play space was also identified as a shortfall, though this was to be partially mitigated by a financial contribution towards improvements at Ropewalk Gardens.

Despite these concerns, the committee determined that the public benefits, including the delivery of 70 new homes, 13 of which are family-sized social rent affordable homes, and the activation of the public realm, outweighed the identified harms. The development was considered to be in compliance with the development plan as a whole. The committee voted unanimously to grant planning permission, subject to conditions and planning obligations.