Council sets out reasons it rejected RSHP’s South Ken plans

Kensington & Chelsea’s planning committee has explained the thinking that underpinned its shock rejection of RSHP’s redevelopment of the area of South Kensington tube station – flying in the face officers’ recommendations.

在周四马拉松式的委员会会议后的最新消息中，议员们表示，这些提议——为本地和伦敦运输公司(Transport for London)的合资企业起草的——与该地区的面貌不符，也没有提供值得批准的公共利益。

RSHP的计划将交付50个新住宅，以及一系列商店、餐馆、工作场所和车站的改进。这将创造出近3000平方米的新办公空间。它还将为车站提供通往圆形和区域地铁线的无障碍通道。

Although the scheme wasbacked by planning officers, they acknowledged RSHP’s “generally contemporary architectural language” failed to “fully respond to the context and character of the local area”. They also described the 17 affordable homes earmarked for delivery under the proposals as “disappointing” in light of the 50% strategic target for affordable housing for projects on public land in the capital.

Following a four-hour meeting, Kensington & Chelsea planning committee voted unanimously to refuse the application.

They said the public benefits offered by the scheme did not overcome the impacts of the height, massing and architectural design of some elements of the proposed development. In the process, it failed to preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area and the special architectural and historical interest of the listed station building, they added.

Committee chair James Husband also said that a legal agreement had not been provided to secure the mitigation measures and associated infrastructure required for the development.

“We have given this application detailed consideration and rejected the scheme based on significant concerns about the impact of the architectural design, height and massing of the proposals on the conservation area and listed buildings,” he said.

“Councillors agreed that step-free access to the Circle and District lines would be a benefit, but does not, on balance, outweigh the harm done by the design.

“South Kensington is an important international destination and any application needs to be in keeping with the unique character of the local area which unfortunately this application does not do.”

A spokesperson for the developers said the project team would be reviewing its options following the decision.

“Our plans would generate numerous and significant public benefits, including step-free access to the District & Circle Lines, to be delivered in the first phase of the scheme, on-site affordable housing, and the restoration of the much-loved historic arcade,” they said.

“The proposed buildings have all been carefully considered to ensure that the design, scale and massing is sympathetic to the surrounding townscape and respects what is a hugely important heritage location. We believe our plans, which are policy-compliant and were recommended for approval by RBKC’s planning officer, who cited architecture of the highest quality, provide for a considered scheme that would help bring a renewed sense of place to South Kensington.”

The spokesperson added that Historic England had not objected to the plans on heritage grounds. They added that since RBKC was failing to meet its housing delivery targets, it was subject to a presumption in favour of sustainable development under the National Planning Policy Framework.

Ben Oakley, conservation officer for campaign group Save Britain’s Heritage – which opposed the scheme, said the RSHP proposals had been “an exercise of division rather than consensus” for the residents and civic groups.

他说:“非常讽刺的是，2016年，社区就重新开发车站的敏感方法达成了共识，这受到了所有人的欢迎。”

“议员们周四的决定现在标志着一个一代人难得的机会，通过一个方案重新点燃这一共识，该方案提供了一个无障碍的车站，并尊重和反映了南肯辛顿著名的历史背景。”

RSHP is the sixth practice to draw up redevelopment proposals for the area around South Kensington tube station in recent decades.

Scott, Brownrigg & Turner, Terry Farrell & Partners, Francis Machin, John McAslan & Partners and Buckley Gray Yeoman all created earlier proposals.