AHMM wins planning for 22-storey block despite opposition from Islington
A 22-storey tower designed by AHMM is to be the latest addition to a burgeoning high-rise corridor in central London, despite concerns over its height and location.
The London Borough of Hackney has granted approval to the practice鈥檚 proposals for 225 City Road, in the face of objections from neighbouring Islington Council, which said the structure would contribute to a 鈥渃anyon effect鈥� along the major thoroughfare.
A one-mile stretch of the road between Old Street and Angel Islington already hosts Squire & Partners鈥� 36-storey Lexicon tower, and UN Studio鈥檚 31-storey Canaletto building.
Foster & Partners鈥� City Forum, which will be 42 storeys at its highest is also under construction, while the 23-storey Carbuncle Cup-nominated M by Montcalm hotel 鈥� designed by Squires and 5plus Architects 鈥� is already open for business.
AHMM鈥檚 225 City Road scheme would deliver 100 apartments plus 15,600 sq m of office space and around 600 sq m of retail or restaurant space on a 0.37 hectare site that is currently used as a car park.
Islington 鈥� which has previously voiced fears over high-rise development on City Road 鈥� called for the proposals to be rejected on the grounds that the building would appear 鈥渋nappropriately prominent鈥� between the street鈥檚 already-approved tower clusters.
鈥淭his is not a suitable location for a tall building,鈥� it said.
鈥淎lthough less tall than existing and forthcoming tall buildings in the distinct and tightly-defined clusters at the City Road Basin and the Old Street roundabout, the proposal would undermine the coherence of these clusters, and would help to create a canyon effect along City Road.鈥�
Hackney Council planning officers disagreed, arguing that the site was in a strategic area designated as suitable for tall buildings, and was not seen as overly harmful to the adjacent Underwood Conservation Area.
They said AHMM鈥檚 proposals, drawn up for client City Road Developments, were 鈥渙f a high level of architectural quality鈥� and featured materials that would 鈥渟ufficiently mitigate any harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area, as well as improving the 鈥渙verall quality鈥� of the site鈥檚 immediate context.
AHMM, which is based in nearby Old Street, said the scheme had taken its inspiration from 鈥渢he fine industrial buildings鈥� in the Underwood Conservation Area and featured materials that would 鈥済row old with grace鈥�.
Historic England did not object to the proposals, but 鈥渟trongly encouraged鈥� Hackney to assess the application carefully against its own planning policies, which include a requirement that all development should make a positive contribution to the borough鈥檚 historic built environment.
Hackney鈥檚 approval of the scheme is subject to confirmation by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
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