Whitechapel life sciences cluster gets green light

Tower Hamlets Council has granted planning approval for the Whitechapel Road Life Sciences Cluster, E1. The decision was initially expected to be made back in August but was deferred following a request for a site visit amid concerns raised by residents about the massing of the buildings, provision of green space and public access.  The application faced further scrutiny during the planning committee meeting this week, with two critical changes made to the application. On the planning side, the members requested the provision of an affordable workspace be changed to affordable housing. The other imposed amendment referred to removing the word “women’s” from the £2.5m contribution to women’s health projects attached to the application. The move came despite women’s life expectancy in the borough being 7.5 years less than men, against a London-wide average of women living 1.2 years longer than men, according to data from Kanda Consulting. The masterplan is being developed by the Department of Health and Social Care, supported by NHS Property Services. The proposals are seeking to transform five buildings around the Royal London Hospital through a mix of refurbishment, extension and new-build development. Initial proposals were lodged with the council in December 2021, featuring 1m sq ft of laboratories and flexible offices, alongside new public realm, cafés and community spaces. However, following a consultation late last year, the department submitted a series of amendments to its planning application that reduced the total floor area of the proposed development to 872,000 sq ft from 975,000 sq ft. Public realm and open space was increased to 144,000 sq ft from 139,000 sq ft. A spokesperson from NHS Property Services told EG: “We were pleased to hear officers and members of the strategic development committee speak positively about the application to create a new home for life sciences in Whitechapel, along with the range of economic, health and social benefits for Tower Hamlets that the scheme will bring. This includes the creation of thousands of jobs, as well as attracting major investment into the UK’s life sciences sector. “We note the committee’s resolution on the planning application and will continue to work with LBTH officers to take this project forward with them.” DP9 is advising on planning matters. Image © Allies and Morrison