PLANNING BULLETIN
Issue No.6 Department of Planning March 2001
‘Accommodating City’
A fter 40 years of decline, business hotels, serviced apartments
Corporation of London
Greater London’s level of and short-let units. Short-let units offer
population achieved relative a more ‘homely’ environment for people
stability in the mid-1980’s and staying in the City for short periods of
time with self-contained
has since grown by an estimated
accommodation including kitchens,
4.2% between 1991 and 1998. At living areas and often porterage and
the same time the growing cleaning services. Up to 400 residential
number of small households has units now have permission to be used
continued to put pressure on the as temporary sleeping accommodation
housing stock throughout for periods of less than 90 days, and/
London. or as flexible residential and office uses.
The City specialises in international Aparthotels and serviced apartments
financial and business services, an also offer self-contained
increasing number of which work accommodation with the addition of
unsociable hours. There are a large 24-hour hotel style reception often
number of foreign companies with Wardrobe Place with room service. The City now has
employees who require easy access to four substantial hotels catering for
their workplace. The combination of these The last decade has seen a ‘boom’ in residential business visitors, which include a range of
factors has driven a demand for residential stock development, which resulted in an increase in facilities such as conference rooms, function
suitable for City workers. the City’s housing stock of over 30% since the suites and sports facilities. The Great Eastern
beginning of 1995. During this time 1400 units Hotel next to Liverpool Street Station was
Government Guidance encourages sustainable completely refurbished in 1999 and since then
have been added to the City’s housing stock and
housing development, which makes efficient use hotels have been built in Harrow Place, Ludgate
another 800 are in the pipeline as at 31 December
of land and is close to appropriate services and Hill, Gracechurch Street and Pepys Street. A
2000.
transport facilities. Recent residential further four hotels are under construction
development in the City has reflected The main increase occurred during the early 90’s providing 600 more bedrooms. The volume and
Government Guidance through mixed-use as residential development became
housing developments, conversion of redundant more commercially attractive than
Fitzroy Robinson Ltd., Architects
office buildings to residential use and conversion office development on certain
of premises over shops to residential units. sites. These sites tended to be
occupied by older, small-scale
Novotel, London
buildings, which were less
attractive to current day office
requirements, found mostly away
from the commercial core of the
City. The majority of these
developments for permanent
housing have been in the Smithfield
area, where mixed-use
development is encouraged or
around the northern fringes of the
Barbican where it contributes to Artist’s impression of Crowne Plaza, New Bridge Street
the residential character of the
area. Other areas include sites on the western range of residential accommodation to meet the
fringes of the City and along the riverside. needs of the City’s business community has
Notable conversion schemes can be found in improved considerably in recent years. This has
Bow Lane, Wardrobe Place, Smithfield and allowed suitable sites in fringe areas to be
Carter Lane. developed for permanent residential housing.
As well as a shift in focus towards sustainable The Corporation, in conjunction with charities
residential development in the City there has and neighbouring boroughs in the City’s fringe
been an increasing demand for accommodation areas, have developed several affordable
The Lobby at Novotel Tower Bridge, Pepys Street specifically for business visitors including residential schemes.
Lisa Russell
Listed Building restored in Fleet Street New Riverside Walkway link
Page 2 Page 3
Planning Bulletin March 2001
LISTED BUILDINGS AT RISK
Best Value Restoration of 7-15 Fleet Street
(Improving Service Delivery)
The Government’s Best Value initiative is
O ne of the Planning Department’s targets
under Best Value is to achieve the removal
of at least one building per year from the Listed
have caused significant damage to the interiors
of the buildings. In particular very severe damage
was caused to the fine plaster work and staircase
designed to deliver better quality services and Buildings At Risk Register, which is compiled of the Rainbow Tavern, where a simple blocked
value for money. The initiative places a duty on by English Heritage in consultation with local gully resulted in a protracted flooding of the
local authorities to realize the variety of services authorities in England and Wales. Currently, there building.
people want, set clear standards for their delivery are 10 buildings on the Register for the City of
and to strive to continuously improve them. The London. Two are due to be removed. The decline in the state of the buildings resulted
Corporation recognises that everyone who lives, in an upgrading on the At Risk Register
works or visits the City relies on our services In respect of reflecting the level of risk to which it is felt
and wishes to ensure that they are improved this target and as the buildings are exposed, and to the serving
while making the best use of public funds. part of the of a Repairs Notice on the owners of the
Department of property. A repairs notice requires the owner
In this context the Best Value Policy Plan 2000/
P l a n n i n g ’s of the property to make reasonable progress
2001 sets out the Corporation’s past performance
ongoing aim of in returning the buildings to the state of repair
and its strategy for the future. The plan is
tackling the they were in at their date of listing, or
available on the Corporation’s web site at
problems of otherwise the local authority may pursue the
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk. As part of the strategy the
listed buildings Compulsory Purchase of the property.
Department of Planning has undertaken a
at risk from
fundamental review of the services it provides.
neglect and Following the
The resultant improvements will be reported in
damage, action serving of the
future editions of the Planning Bulletin.
was recently repairs notice
In reviewing its services the Department of taken by the the building has
Planning attaches great importance to the views Corporation to changed hands
of users. To ascertain these views the protect a set of and although
7-15 Fleet Street after restoration
Department has set up a number of consultation Grade II listed the repairs
and feedback mechanisms: buildings on Fleet Street. notice remains
User Panel: in effect there is
The Department has invited a range of different The buildings at 7-15 Fleet Street were once g r e a t e r
users of the planning service to participate in a the headquarters of the Legal & General confidence in
User Panel. Its main purpose will be to act as a Insurance Company (1885), the Union Bank the buildings
forum for receiving feedback and discussing (1842) and the Rainbow Tavern (1860). being brought
suggestions for the improvement/ development However, the buildings’ fortunes have into good
of the service. One of the key tasks for the progressively declined in the last ten years. In condition and
panel will be to comment on the Draft the last three years their condition has seriously 7-15 Fleet Street before restoration work began productive and
Development Control Charter. deteriorated as the result of a long period of economic use.
vacancy and lack of maintenance. Rainwater This will result in their being removed from the
User Satisfaction Survey: ingress resulting in damp and dry rot infestations register.
Victor Callister
This is being undertaken on a quarterly basis
through the financial year 2000/1.
Questionnaires are sent to all those who have
received a planning decision from the
Planning Applications decided 1990 - 2000
Corporation. To date we have recorded a 90% One of the national Best Value performance indicators is the number of planning applications
user satisfaction. processed in the 8 and 13 week time periods. The chart illustrates a steadily improving performance
by the Department of Planning over the last 6 years.
User comments:
Comments made by the users of the planning 90
service provide the Department with valuable 8 weeks
80
information on areas where we could improve 13 weeks
performance, and areas where the service 70
provided is considered of good quality. For
Percentage decided
60
example, comments on how information and
publications are provided have proved useful in 50
developing the Planning Bulletin and delivering
40
planning information through the Corporation’s
Internet site. 30
Under the Best Value Review the Department 20
of Planning have identified targets known as
Key Deliverables which include the adoption 10
of the revised Unitary Development Plan, the 0
completion of the Riverside Walkway, street 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
scene enhancements and to conservation areas Year
and listed buildings John Rampton
Planning Bulletin March 2001
A Land & Property Riverside Walkway
Gazetteer for the
City of London T he City Riverside
Corporation of London
Walkway along the
‘E-government’, ‘best value’, ‘seamless Thames waterfront within the
services’, ‘call centres’, ‘one stop shops’ all City of London was an early
originate from government and commercial post-War planning objective.
pressure to deliver an effective service in a co- Now part of the Thames Path
ordinated manner. Many of these services National Trail, it extends
require information relating to the through the historic heart of
identification of a location. A resident could London along a riverfront
require information on the nearest library and which has been the focus of
how to get there, a property developer may its commercial origins and
wish to carry out land searches on a parcel of importance for most of the
land, a researcher might want to identify all last 2000 years. The creation
food outlets. The questions are varied, but all of a public riverside walk, in
require the need to identify a particular location an area which until the 1960s
and information concerning it. was almost continuous Artist’s impression of the new walkway link
working waterfront, has
In the past different organisations and involved the detailed negotiation of each section two links in the walk, as well as the enhancement
departments within organisations have held of the walk as part of the planning permission of four sections and of the lighting along most
sets of information in their own formats which for redevelopment or refurbishment of each of the riverside. With the completion of current
met their particular business needs. Such a riverfront building. This has involved, in several construction at Custom House and London
multitude of formats has made the exchange cases, the achievement of pedestrian bridge links Bridge/Adelaide House in the near future,
of information very difficult, and has restricted to the Riverside. To the west, a major section negotiations are underway to achieve the final
the scope for co-ordinating service delivery. was created by the Corporation as part of the two links.
The implementation of geographic road improvements around Blackfriars Bridge.
information solutions in delivering effective Since 1987 the dual objectives of the completion Recent environmental enhancements at the
services in a co-ordinated way has identified of the riverside walk and its enhancement have Blackfriars Bridges and White Lion Hill sections
the need for national standards in order that a been coordinated by the inter-departmental of Paul’s Walk have been supplemented by the
location can be uniquely identified. Riverside Working Party chaired by the Planning completion in 2000 of the new walkway link at
Department. This period has seen the completion Southwark Bridge. This section, financed by
Things are starting to change. The Improvement of twelve and the commencement of a further the Corporation and designed by the Urban
and Development Agency (IDeA) is leading Design and Conservation Section in the Planning
on a national project to develop the National Department to complement the character of
Corporation of London
Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG). This the listed bridge, used a post-war concrete box
will be a British Standard conformant directory interior space in the abutment to the bridge.
of Land and Property. It will define a Unique Within this space the link has been formed with
Property Reference Number (UPRN) for a shallow vaulted ceiling and the walls in highly
every land and property parcel in the country. reflective ceramic finishes in tile and faience,
For each ‘Basic Land and Property Unit’ together with matching granites and York stone.
information will be held on the official address, A sequence of internal ‘pilasters’, modelled upon
the map reference, for postally addressable the design of the bridge piers, frames a sequence
property a postcode, and optionally a spatial of murals on both walls depicting the riverside
polygon. The NLPG will be continuously and the past and present Southwark Bridges.
updated providing information on new The tiled wall murals Carl Leith
development.
The Corporation of London is currently UDP Review public inquiry opens in April
preparing Land and Property information
concerning the City of London for inclusion The review of the Unitary Development Plan in December. This approach resulted in nearly
in the NLPG. This work will be completed (UDP) for the City made significant progress in 300 original objections being withdrawn.
shortly and we hope that both public sector 2000 when it was the subject of two rounds of Remaining objectors to the draft plan will be
agencies and commercial enterprise will begin public consultation. The ‘first deposit’ public able to make their case at a public inquiry before
to use the information contained in the consultation stage in January attracted a record a government inspector which will open on 24th
gazetteer for inclusion in their own response of nearly 2,000 comments from April 2001 at Guildhall. The public inquiry is
information systems. This in turn will facilitate objectors or supporters. scheduled to last until June and it is expected
the potential to co-ordinate and make better Throughout the year the Corporation has been that the inspector will report his findings later
use of datasets which retain information on keen to negotiate with the objectors in order, this year. The Corporation will then take the
land and property in the City. where possible, to agree changes to the Plan inspector’s recommendations into account before
which would meet their concerns. The adopting the reviewed plan.
To find out more about the national initiative
visit: www.nlpg.org.uk Corporation’s made further changes to the draft For further information on the progress of the
plan which were publicised in the ‘second UDP review please contact the Planning
Stuart O’Callaghan
deposit’ public consultation stage which ended Department on 020 7332 1846. Paul Beckett
Planning Bulletin March 2001
New publications Contacts
Peter Wynne Rees
City Planning Officer 020 7332 1700
Annie Hampson
Planning Services and Development Director 020 7332 1715
John Watson
Assistant Planning Director (Policy) 020 7332 1715
Patrick Conn
Head of Support Services 020 7332 1725
ST. HELENS & BREWERY DEVELOPMENT CONTROL
Conservation Area Character Summaries David Field
The latest summaries from the series of 26 Conservation Area Character Principal Planning Officer 020 7332 1704
Summaries are now available from the Department of Planning. These David Stothard
full colour booklets identify and illustrate the characteristics of, and East Area 020 7332 1238
planning considerations within, each conservation area. Ludgate Hill
Conservation Area Character Summary will be available soon. Ted Rayment
West Area 020 7332 1705
Roy Degannes
Enforcement Officer 020 7332 1191
URBAN DESIGN & CONSERVATION
Kate Williamson
Principal Planning Officer 020 7332 1716
David March
East Area 020 7332 1153
Jeff Kelly
West Area 020 7332 1720
Kathryn Stubbs
PLACE SPACE Archaeology Officer 020 7332 1447
“Good design always arises from a thorough and caring understanding of place
and context.” FORWARD PLANNING
Due to the success of the Place Space exhibition last August, the Derek Read
Department of Planning decided to reprint the much acclaimed exhibition Development Plans 020 7332 1846
leaflet which contains information on a selection of major schemes,
John Rampton/Stuart O’Callaghan
identifying different themes or characteristics, that were approved in
Monitoring and Information 020 7332 1724/3086
the 1990’s.
Planning Bulletin enquiries and mailing list:
Do you require some assistance in completing your Planning
Managing Editor: Kate Williamson 020 7332 1716
Application; need to know if a building is listed or in a conservation
area; or want to know the history of a building? Editor: Chhaya Patel 020 7332 1843
For answers to questions like these, visit Planning Reception on the chhaya.patel@corpoflondon.gov.uk
3rd floor of the Guildhall or give us a call on 020 7332 3794/3787 Graphic Design: Richard Miller 020 7332 1148
and our staff will be pleased to help you.
General planning enquiries: 020 7332 1709/3794/3787
Facsimile: 020 7332 1806
Location of Guildhall Email: plans@corpoflondon.gov.uk
Internet site: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/planning
The Department has an enquiries office which opens from 9.15 until
4.30 Monday to Friday. It is located on the 3rd floor of the Guildhall
A Main entrance (entrance via Basinghall Street)
B Entrance to Planning and PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
all other departments
Chairman: Mr. Graham Forbes
Deputy Chairman: Mr. Stuart Fraser
COMMITTEE DATES 2001
20 March, 10 April, 1 May, 22 May, 12 June, 3 July, 24 July,
7 September, 25 September.
The Corporation of London is the local authority for the financial Peter Wynne Rees BSc BArch BTP RIBA FRTPI FRSA,
and commercial heart of Britain, the City of London. City Planning Officer, PO Box 270, Guildhall, London EC2P 2EJ