Battersea 29-storey 'alien' tower plan rejected

Wandsworth Council rejected a 110-home, 29-storey tower near Battersea Bridge after finding it did not follow policy or meet local community needs. Rockwell appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, arguing the Local Plan was out of date and should not be read as banning tall buildings. The appeal was dismissed. The inspector said the proposed height was about five times the recommended building height and would appear alien and isolated. The inspector also found insufficient effort to test lower-rise alternatives and assess their viability. The scheme included 54 affordable homes at social rent, workspace for small businesses, a restaurant, and a hub for local charities. Opposition came from residents and heritage groups, with concerns about scale and traffic impacts, while support included many letters and celebrity backing.

"The inspector Joanna Gilbert said the tower was five times taller than the recommended building height and that it would "appear alien and isolated". Gilbert said Rockwell had failed to properly test the viability of lower-rise alternatives, with "little effort to come anywhere close to reasonable policy expectations"."

"Wandsworth Council rejected the 110-home scheme last year on the basis it failed to follow policy or meet the needs of the local community. Developers Rockwell then appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, saying Wandsworth's Local Plan was out of date and should not be read as banning tall buildings in the area. However, the appeal was dismissed."

"Farrells Rockwell's tower included 54 affordable homes to be offered at social rent, workspace for small businesses, a restaurant and a hub for local charities. The scheme faced fierce opposition from residents and heritage groups, with locals raising particular concerns about its scale and impact on traffic."

"Setting out the developer's case, Russell Harris KC argued the "elegant building of exemplary quality" would improve the character and appearance of its surroundings. He said the site "should accept optimised change" and would allow for a landmark, high-quality tall building to be built with much-needed affordable housing to tackle the capital's housing crisis."

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