Author: Cyril Richert
According to Brightside October 2010, a new application for the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth town centre is expected early in the new year.
Minerva, the company that owns the site, announced plans to submit a revised proposal following the Secretary of State’s decision to eject the previous scheme.
The firm said in its annual results published on September 21st:
“The key issues revolved around the two tall buildings proposed and their location within the conservation area and proximity to a nearby gasholder. Most of the regenerative benefits created by the scheme were accepted, and will be reincorporated into the next planning application. Accordingly, a new scheme is being designed to reflect the planning inspector’s and secretary of state’s comments. It is expected that a new planning application will be ready for submission during this financial year.”
They also said on their website that “A revised application is now being worked on, keeping much of what was originally envisaged and accepted as a positive contribution, but with revised proposals for the tall buildings.”
According to skyscrapernews.org, as the company correctly points out in its full year results, one of the main issues was the height of the towers, and thus it can be expected that any new planning application will see these severely reduced. At the same time there was the issue of gas-holder that they would stand near to, and in the event of an emergency could take the direct force of a blast from, the last thing you possibly want a tall building to experience.
One possible solution to this could be similar to that seen at Battersea (Nine Elms development area) where an office building was placed next to the gas-holders to provide a barrier element between them and residential housing.
It is the occasion to read again our article on the Ram Brewery verdict: analysis of the government’s refusal. There is no doubt that any further plan will be scrutinise in the light of the Secretary of State’s decision in term of size, density, character, location and affordable housing.
You can also see our full dossier on the Ram Brewery here.
