A Newham housing development has been hailed as an example of the type of designs Londoners want to see more of.
McGrath Road in Forest Gate, designed by Peter Barber Architects, was highlighted as a successful example of the kind of modern development with “nice materials, some ornament [and] variety in a pattern” that residents in the capital want to see.
Appleby Blue Almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann in Bermondsey was also mentioned as an example.
It comes after Sir Sadiq Khan was told many of the capital's new housing developments look the same to residents, with unappealing architecture replicated across the city.
Public polling and visual preference surveys showed that Londoners broadly agree on what good design looks like – with up to 80 per cent backing low or medium-rise buildings with coherent looks that fit local character, as opposed to a random array of high-rises.
Now the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee has written to the Mayor of London asking him to use the forthcoming London Plan to ensure buildings are designed with community-agreed principles in mind.
Sir Sadiq is currently under pressure to deliver 880,000 homes over the next decade – but the cross-party committee warned him that “failing to align new development with public sentiment risks fuelling opposition, increasing delays and undermining delivery”.
Committee Chair James Small-Edwards added: “Londoners are not anti-development, they just want to be engaged early and see homes built that they find visually appealing. If we are to deliver 880,000 new homes over the next decade, we must close the gap between what Londoners want and what is getting built.
“Embedding popular design principles and meaningful early engagement will be essential to maintaining public confidence and delivering the homes our city needs”.
The letter, released on Tuesday (March 2), suggests that five years on from City Hall plans to ensure “more Londoners have their say in how their city is changing”, there is a “disconnect” between what residents want and what developers are putting forward.
Referring to evidence given to the London Assembly in recent months as part of the committee’s investigation, it refers to testimony from the likes of Robert Kwolek from Create Streets, who said that the views of the architectural community and the public are often out of step.
Overall, there is opposition to “statement” or “impersonal” buildings, Assembly Members were told, with Londoners often preferring “traditional buildings in form, style and materials”.
“This approach risks increased local opposition to planning, mounting project costs and undermining local authorities’ ability to deliver the ambitious new homes target of 880,000 over the next ten years”, the letter reads.
The solution, according to the committee, would be to build modern developments with traditional features, like the development in Forest Gate.
The committee says the new London Plan, expected to be published this summer and adopted next year, is a “timely opportunity to prioritise the principles of evidence-based design”.
Architects have previously said that repetitive designs are partly down to developers knowing what is most likely to be approved by councils’ planning committees. Construction costs are also a key factor, with developers less likely to bring forward a design that causes additional risk or cost.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The Mayor is committed to ensuring Londoners shape the development of their city. His Good Growth by Design programme champions the involvement of communities in decision-making.
“As the next London Plan is developed, we will continue working closely with partners, stakeholders and boroughs to ensure that all voices are heard, as we build a better London for everyone”.
