1 Golden Lane – re-consultation underway

Re-consultation “due to revised design and landscaping proposals”

The application to refurbish and extend 1 Golden Lane has gone to re-consultation “due to revised design and landscaping proposals” (application reference 22/00202/FULMAJ; 22/00203/LBC; planning website link here)

 All those who objected to the original application will have received notice of this. It appears however that very few changes of significance have been made, particularly in relation to the proximity to the Barbican Estate and the impact on nearby residents of loss of daylight and sunlight, overshadowing and overlooking.

According to the accompanying documents, the key design and access-related amendments – in the applicant’s own words however – focus on:

• Amendments to the massing of the building, reducing its total height and cutting back massing to the north. These amendments have a beneficial effect on daylight and sunlight impacts as addressed in the revised daylight & sunlight assessment and discussed below.

• Several façade amendments, responding to comments of City of London Design Officers.

• Removal of gates surrounding the bin presentation area in Cripplegate Street. As a result, this area will be provided as open public realm save for the limited periods in which it will temporarily hold bins immediately prior to and following collection.

• Introduction of movable planters adjacent to the Barbican servicing yard to the southwest of Cripplegate Street. This secures the opportunity to allow permeability into this space should its use change in the future.

• Retention of the Category C Turkish Hazel Tree to Cripplegate Street, and resultant amendments to the landscaping scheme including the location of planters, short stay cycle parking and seating in this area. As a result of the amendments, the total Gross Internal Area proposed has reduced by 103sqm

The Community Response Document in theory demonstrates that the developers have responded to the objections made to the first consultation – but which demonstrates that they have paid mere lip service to it, particularly in regard to the significant increase in height and mass which will create an unacceptable loss of light for residents.

A few observations

• The revised application talks of amendments to the massing if the building but it appears that the height has only been reduced by a mere 0.9m (from 68.3m to 67.4m – the current height is 55.3m) and this is in the façade closest to The Denizen.
• Concerns over loss of light and overshadowing have again been kicked into touch with, according to the daylight specialists, “compliance with BRE Guidelines in relation to daylight and sunlight enjoyed at all neighbouring residential developments save for isolated incidences of minor adverse VSC reductions which are considered acceptable in the context of overall impact” (these seem to relate principally to The Denizen) and that “the overshadowing impact of the Proposed Development is fully BRE compliant in relation to all surrounding open spaces”. The Revised Overshadowing Report (Pages 17-19 refer to Ben Jonson House and Breton House) provides more detail on this by residential block.
• Regarding the refuse area, the applicant states “It is recognised that this arrangement is contrary to policy DM16.5 of the Local Plan and Policy VT2 of the draft City Plan 2036” but continues with the statement: “On balance, the approach is considered to be acceptable accounting for the following factors […]”. By whom is this deemed acceptable? Surely if this does not adhere to City policy and will inevitably cause additional noise then how can it be deemed acceptable?

All in all the proposals are little changed and do not address the principal objections made by Barbican and other nearby residents. Residents who feel similarly are therefore encouraged to object again to this application.  

The Standard Consultation Expiry date for comments on this application is 4th October 2022