Rothas hails English Heritage ‘ecotower’ report

February 20, 2012 · 0 Comments

Kingsland High St, W side, just S of DK station

Art Nouveau balcony N side Kingsland High St Lon E8

Art Nouveau balcony and top right: Peacocks, the right site for a skyscraper?

THE PROPERTY investment company seeking permission to build an 18-floor block of shops and flats says that both English Heritage and Hackney council admit that high-rise is appropriate for the site.

Furthermore, Rothas Ltd told Loving Dalston, Hackney council’s independent Design Review Panel was supportive.

Contradicting Loving Dalston’s description of the conservation quango’s report as an “attack”, Rothas Ltd said: “English Heritage does not object to the proposals and quite correctly states that a case needs to be made for the proposals and acknowledges that the site is appropriate for a tall building.

“The [Hackney] council’s policies are similarly supportive of a tall building in this location [51-57 Kingsland High Street on the Peacocks site -- see picture, above].

“We are proposing a sustainable building of very high quality which will also deliver the upgrade of Dalston Kingsland station, doubling the station capacity and providing disabled access and lift access for mothers with pushchairs and prams which currently does not exist.”

Rothas said its proposal included, as well as shops, a new gallery. The environmental credentials of the building were “first in class” and the planted roof gardens, terraces and balconies, and vertical greening tied in with the “greenscape agenda” for Dalston.

* The official period for public consultation on application 2011/3439 has ended, although Hackney planning usually accepts submissions after the consultation period. See previous ecotower story for contact details. Hackney council’s planning committee is to consider the application on Wed 7 Mar 2012.

* Signatures are being sought for a protest petition by Open Dalston. The environmental campaign group is holding a public meeting at Colvestone Primary School, Colvestone Crescent (west end), Hackney E8 2LG, on Tues 28 Feb 2012 at 6.30pm to discuss how to oppose the planning application.

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By Loving Dalston