Docklands skyscraper goes back to the drawing board

Make’s 56-storey Docklands skyscraper planning application has been withdrawn.

The application from Cubitt Property Holdings for 225 Marsh Wall was pulled yesterday (Thursday) – hours before it was set to go in front of Tower Hamlets council’s planning committee.

It had been recommended for refusal by the council’s own planning officers on the grounds that it would be overdevelopment of the site.

A report from Tower Hamlets’ director of development and renewal said the tower “seeks to maximise not optimise the development potential of the site”.

The proposed tower would have housed 414 residential units, 663sq m of office space tailored to suit small businesses, 448sq m of flexible office or community space and 307sq m of flexible retail and community space.

The residential units were to consist of 326 for private sale, and 88 affordable units made up of 36 intermediate and 52 affordable rented with separate entrances for the private and affordable units.

However, the report added that the proposed mix of housing was inadequate as it failed to provide enough family-sized accommodation. The “affordable” housing, at 23.7%, was also 11% below the local plan target.

The plans were also thought to “unacceptably impact” on the amount of daylight and sunlight on surrounding properties and “unacceptably affect” the development potential of sites surrounding 225 Marsh Wall, the report said.

Make declined to comment.