Creative headquarters extension at 9-15 Elcho Street, London SW11

“The Albion Riverside mixed-use development ‘Quarter’ by Foster and Partners lies to the north/northeast of the site with a 5-storey commercial building built as part of that scheme presenting a blank façade to the northern boundary of the application site. To the immediate west of the site at Nos. 12-18 Radstock Street is a gated, residential led scheme, Radstock House that provides 8 residential units over a part-single, part-5, part-6 storey arrangement.”

“Directly across Howie Street to the south is The RCA’s latest addition, the Studio Building. Granted permission in 2018 (Ref. 2017/6064) alongside the adjacent Rausing (Research) Building, these are strikingly contemporary additions by architects Herzog de Meuron to the existing RCA Battersea campus and complement the existing Dyson Building, Woo Building and aforementioned Painting Building all located to the west of the application site and east of Battersea Bridge Road.”

“2017: (RCA Studio and Rausing Building): 1-11 & 15-25 Howie Street 1-4 Elcho Street 7-9 & 15-25 Parkgate Road and Southern section of Radstock Street SW11 4AS (Ref: 2017/6064): Granted subject to conditions, S106 and CIL: 07/11/2017: Demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment of site to provide a part 4-storey (23.43m high) and part 8-storey (32.75m high) college building (D1 use class) with ancillary uses including business incubators, academic research and…”

“Although both the above 2015 and 2016 permissions (2015/1203 & 2016/0654) significantly pre-date both the adoption of the current London Plan and the Wandsworth Local Plan they can still be seen as material considerations. The 2015 permission (2015/1203) was, in concept terms, not dissimilar to the current scheme with an overall south to north stepping up of built form.”

“WLP LP39 (Local Employment and Training Opportunities) requires that all new major development would be required to enter into a Local Employment and Enterprise Agreement, as part of a Section 106 planning obligation and that the this obligation would set out how the proposal would, where appropriate provide jobs, enterprise, training and apprenticeship places for Wandsworth residents, focusing on disadvantaged groups and those under-represented within the workforce by…”

“In terms of visual impacts (which is one of a number of areas of assessment that LP4 refers to) the proposal would feature as part of an established cluster of taller buildings in this location and it can be said to respond to and respect key views and corridors. The issue of key views is looked at later in this report in the consideration of the Heritage and Townscape Visual Impact Assessment and wider heritage impacts.”

“Policy D9 C.3 asks that various environmental impacts are considered including daylight/sunlight penetration, the need not to compromise conditions in any nearby open spaces or bodies of water with Part (c) specifically stating that noise created by air movements around the building(s), servicing machinery, or building uses, should not detract from the comfort and enjoyment of open spaces around the building.”

“Land use: The proposed intensification of office space for research and development on site is supported in terms of land use principles. • Urban design, tall buildings and heritage: The overall design and visual impacts of the proposals are acceptable.”

“TfL – Spatial Planning: No objection subject to conditions/legal agreement: Healthy Streets and Vision Zero The routes selected as part of the nighttime Active Travel Zone (ATZ) assessment are acceptable. Car Parking Disabled bay parking locations have been identified and are acceptable.”

“A Member referred to the significant use of glass in the scheme and questioned how the rising temperatures that had been found in modern buildings would be mitigated. Page 132 of the agenda pack, from paragraph 8.19 onwards, addressed cooling and overheating, and measures to mitigate the risk of overheating to the buildings.”

“The sustainability of the green wall (vertical meadow) was questioned, and due to this scheme involving one applicant and one occupier there was more opportunity for the green wall to be maintained. The Legal Advisor suggested that condition 51 on…”

“Official pages 165 and 166 of the agenda pack that covers landscaping, could be amended to include that the landscape scheme includes provisions for the monitoring and maintenance of the vertical meadow and require replanting where needed. The Committee agreed to this amendment to condition 51.”