好色先生TV

Doubt has emerged over the government鈥檚 support for the Thames Gateway masterplan, set out by architect Sir Terry Farrell and consultant EC Harris. In an interview with QS 好色先生TV, Farrell called on the government to endorse his vision wholesale.

Despite the government claiming it backs the masterplan, the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) was unable to specify a single element of Farrell鈥檚 vision which it had agreed to carry out. Key elements of the Farrell/EC Harris proposal include creating two islands in the Thames, building a bridge over the estuary linking Kent and Essex, and placing 90% of the homes planned for the Thames Gateway in London.

A spokesperson for the DLCG said Farrell鈥檚 scheme had not been agreed to but was under discussion. She said: 鈥淲e can鈥檛 do exactly as he would like due to planning restrictions. We need affordable houses, but we鈥檝e not discussed if they should be constructed in London. The rest of the Thames Gateway also needs regenerating.鈥� The spokesperson said the government would not back Farrell鈥檚 suggestion to call the area a national park: 鈥淭here can be no industry or housing if it鈥檚 a national park. But what is being created is a parkland to live in.鈥�

Farrell told QS 好色先生TV he wants the government to designate the Thames Gateway a 鈥渘ew kind of national park鈥�. He argued that putting 90% of the 160,000 planned homes into London was crucial, as it would avoid the need to extend transport infrastructure and would locate people close to job opportunities.

The existing Thames barrier won鈥檛 work by 2100

Sir Terry Farrell

He added the islands would form a vital flood defence as a barrier could be erected between them: 鈥淭he existing Thames barrier won鈥檛 work by 2100.鈥�

DCLG will formally endorse the Farrell vision on 22 November at the Thames Gateway Forum. But the DCLG spokesperson said this would form only part of an interim report, with the final report to come a year after the government鈥檚 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Contractor Sir Robert McAlpine and engineer Buro Happold have joined Farrell鈥檚 Thames Gateway consultants, alongside EC Harris, the Bank of Scotland, Experian and the Future Foundation. McAlpine is advising on a business plan for the islands, which could feature an industrial port and adventure centre. Buro Happold is looking at harnessing the power from the Thames.