Six-tower Docklands scheme latest to be thrown out

Galliard has had a six-tower development at Canary Wharf unexpectedly thrown out by a planning committee.

It comes just a week after the first phase of the masterplan sold out in four hours, attracting headlines around the world. The £140m Harbour Central scheme won planning in April and was sold off plan.

The second phase, known as Millharbour Village, was recommended for approval by Tower Hamlets planners this week, but councillors rejected it. They demanded Galliard increase the quantum of affordable housing from 25% to 35%.

The second phase was designed by Hawkins Brown and Studio Egret West.

Building understands the newly constituted committee also raised general concerns about viability reports, following the Guardian’s investigation into the assessments which developers use to argue their way out of what they consider onerous planning obligations.

The same committee also threw out British Land and AHMM’s Norton Folgate proposals.

Brian Mallon, project architect for Studio Egret West, said the designers were “quite shocked and disappointed” by the decision to reject what he called a “policy-compliant scheme”.

But a spokesman for the developer said: “Galliard have been asked to go back and have a look at their proposals for the scheme and that’s what they will do.

“They remain very committed to getting planning permission and seeing the Millharbour Village project through.”

He predicted a revised planning application for the two waterfront plots at 3 Millharbour and 6-8 South Quay Square would be ready for submission around October.

The rejected plans proposed two towers of 44 storeys, two of 38 and others of 34 and 31 containing 1,500 family homes, a primary school, further education space, 5,820sq m of commercial space and two parks, plus 387 parking spaces.

Three of the buildings were designed by Hawkins Brown and three by Studio Egret West (SEW).

The overall scheme, also called Millharbour Village, was masterplanned by SEW after a previous scheme by SOM and Foster & Partners was dropped.

Hawkins\Brown was approached for a comment.