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Ram Brewery, Wandsworth High Street SW18

1 min read

As we focus on the planning proposal for Clapham Junction redevelopment, other applications for skyscrapers (is Wandsworth an attractive place for tower blocks or is it that some people in the council are fond of very tall buildings?) have been put forward in other parts of Wandsworth Borough.
Ram Brewery, Wandsworth High Street SW18Here, may I draw your attention to the planning proposal for Wandsworth Town, The Ram Brewery (Wandsworth Towers):
Two residential skyscrapers supposed to create a ‘new urban quarter’ and comprising 1,000 apartments as well as 200,000 sq ft of shops, restaurants and offices.
Height: Up to 145m (475ft) with 42 storeys and 32 storeys.
Location: 16.5-acre site of the Young’s Ram Brewery, Ram Street, SW18.
You will find the documentation for the planning application here.
And the developers website here.
The final decision is due on the 2nd of December.
I personally welcome the development of this area. The planning application seems much better proportionate than the Clapham Junction’s one and taking into account the community in term of:

  • affordable housing,
  • family accommodation (flats ranging from studio to 4 bedrooms),
  • shops, community and leisure areas,
  • resident vehicule car park and public parking,
  • public squares and riverside walk.

However I do object in my letter to the Council about the disproportionate size and shape of the two towers, that would much better insert into the area with a reasonable height. As the surrounding buildings in the immediate context of the site are of an approximate maximum height of about 10 storeys (including the new constructions), a proposed development of this height, design and scale would incongruously pierce the skyline, with little relationship between the proposal and the adjoining buildings, and could actually affect negatively the whole borough in the future.
In addition, I would like to highlight that, as with other planning proposals for Putney (application rejected by the planning committee on the 6th November) or Clapham Junction, insufficient information has been submitted regarding the impact of the tall building. Insufficient details have been provided of the buildings’ impact on long, intermediate and short distance views and protected viewing corridors (as required in accordance with the CABE/English Heritage jointly produced Guidance on Tall Buildings [2008]).
A good example could be learnt for this development from the Victoria Transport Interchange proposal, as plans have been scaled down massively and the developer, Land Securities, was forced to change plans from two 128m towers and a third building of 90m to only one tower of 80 meters and 20 storeys.

You might join me and urgently let the Council know your views about this proposal, especially the construction of 2 white tower blocks 150m high (similar to the size proposed at Clapham Junction).

Contact: Laura Belton or Toby Feltham
on (020) 8871 6644
Email:
boroughplanner@wandsworth.gov.uk
write to:
The Planning Service
Technical Services Department
Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London, SW18 2PU

QUOTING Ref # 2008/0955 – Ram Brewery/Capital Studios/Duval Works planning application

Update 28th November 2008: I have just been informed that Brewery site has officers’ recommendation to accept next Wednesday

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CJI editor and Clapham Junction Action Group co-founder and coordinator since 2008, Cyril has lived in Clapham Junction since 2001.
He is also funder and CEO of Habilis-Digital Ltd, a digital agency creating and managing websites and Internet solutions.