CABE has backed Allies and Morrison鈥檚 masterplan for the controversial Royal Arsenal scheme in Woolwich, south-east London.
The design watchdog had criticised the original masterplan, drawn up by Broadway Malyan, on three separate occasions, describing it as 鈥渄epressing鈥� and 鈥渓acking a strategy鈥�.
But this time CABE said a reduction in the number of units and a greater clarity of thought behind the Urban Design have helped create a more convincing masterplan.
The report said: 鈥淚t is immediately apparent that the reduction in the number of units 鈥� from 3000 to 2500 鈥� has a beneficial effect on the planning and massing of the proposal. We congratulate the client for making such a bold and decisive move; our previous, fundamental concerns could not have been resolved by tinkering with the design alone.鈥�
The news comes after the existing masterplan was called in for design scrutiny by the ODPM in March. Developer Berkley Homes asked Allies and Morrison to review Broadway Malyan鈥檚 masterplan.
