Go-ahead for 2,100 homes at world’s largest Victorian gasworks

Aaron Morby 9 months ago
Share

Developer Berkeley Group’s St William division has got the planning green light to restore the UK’s largest surviving cluster of Victorian gas holders to create 2,100 new homes within the heritage site.

The Bromley by Bow Gasworks site in east London comprises seven disused Grade II listed gasholders.

Seven gasholder frames will contain 10-storey blocks with six extra 15-20 storeys cylindrical buildings surrounding

Under plans drawn up by architect RSHP, these will be restored to incorporate many of the new homes within the cast iron structures.

The remaining homes will be built in higher rise surrounding cylindrical buildings echoing the gas holder homes.

A Section 106 legal agreement has to be finalised with London’s Newham Council, before work can begin on site in 2025.

St William’s ambitious scheme will involve a hefty upfront investment with the cost of temporary disassembly and restoration of the seven listed gasholders put at £80m alone.

The site is home to 7 of the last 19 listed gasholder remaining in the UK

This is before largely unquantifiable decontamination, enabling and ground remediation costs on the 9 hectare site.

Structural steel engineering specialists Craddys and Shepley have been closely involved in drawing up plans to reuse the cast iron gas holder structures, built between 1870 and 1882 for a cost of £300,000.

Both firms were previously involved in the project to dismantle, refurbish and re-erect the Gasholder No.8 guide frame at Kings Cross as well as the refurbishment and re-erection of the Kings Cross Triplets Gasholders.

St William submitted a hybrid planning application for the site, which also include the remains of two gas holders destroyed by the Luftwaffe in the second World War.

New lake at centre of the site where gasholder once stood before being destroyed

These will turned into a central circular lake and a community space covered with one of the gas holder iron frames.

Planned community area framed with iron frame from one of the old gasholder tanks

Detailed consent

Phase 1 to deliver 634 homes  – Plan for two new buildings in existing gasholders – G1 and G2 – rising to 7 and 10 storeys and two new ‘pencil buildings’  rising to 15 and 20 storeys

Also includes 1,700sq m of flexible commercial / non-residential

Outline consent

All other gasholder buildings – G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8 and G9 and Pencil Buildings B1, B2, B3 and B4 – to deliver nearly 1,500 homes.

Includes new community facilities, some retail and commercial floorspace including office and light industrial uses and entertainment revenues

Full scheme plan alongside neighbouring TwelveTrees Park scheme also being delivered by Berkeley Homes

Latest news

Fall in office and housing activity dents industry output

Confidence fragile after 0.2% dip in output for second month
14 minutes ago

Lendlease OK’d to start Birmingham’s £1.9bn Smithfield scheme

First phase of 400 build to rent homes at Manor Square approved
48 minutes ago

Fresh plan for £170m Newcastle resi tower and hotel

Gainford Group scales down New Bridge Street scheme to 29 storeys
37 minutes ago

Mace confirmed for £140m Gatwick Airport Pier 6 extension

Contractor PJ Hegarty has started enabling works in middle of busy airport
17 hours ago

Cost of M3 upgrade soars by £80m

Budget for VolkerFitzpatrick/Balfour Beatty road job jumps to £280m
1 hour ago

Graham takes on ISG £45m Coventry cultural hub job

Firm will start conversion work in the Spring on former IKEA store
18 hours ago

Alun Griffiths to “restructure and resize” after £95m loss

Redundancies due to be announced at Welsh civils contractor
2 days ago

Fire safety project approval delays hit Van Elle profits

Piling specialist also reviews future of Canadian operation amid fresh economic uncertainty
1 day ago

JRL Malaysian backers plan £150m London city office refurb

Ardmore set to deliver landmark 25 Finsbury Circus building overhaul
1 day ago

500-home block to replace 19 storey Sutton office tower

Landmark project to deliver 312 Build to rent and 195 co-living homes
1 day ago

Building envelope specialist Bailey buys Comar

Specialist now offers complete building envelope solutions
1 day ago

Subcontractors wanted for work across Wales

Big name buyers at latest Constructionline event: Register now
1 day ago

Balfour Beatty profit dented by £83m building safety hit

Increased order book at £18bn secures growth over next two years
2 days ago

Expanding utilities specialist Ipsum buys Matrix Power

Power engineering contractor takeover will strengthen offer in North East
2 days ago

Historic scaffolding firm files administration notice

Hertfordshire based Rodells has been trading since 1898
2 days ago

Planning Bill to have “seismic” impact on construction

Building-boosting reforms go before Parliament
3 days ago

Briggs & Forrester hits record revenue and orders

M&E specialist rebounds with strong growth across three divisions
2 days ago

Man Utd confirm plan for £2bn ‘super-tent’ stadium

Club to press ahead with 100,000-seat 'Wembley of the North'
3 days ago

Government spending keeps profits edging-up at Kier

91% of work now with public sector and regulated companies
3 days ago

Costain on track for step change to 5% margin

Alex Vaughan says order book has jumped £1.5bn to £5.4bn
3 days ago

Mace tops February contracts league

Confirmation of £300m London Victoria Street project lifts firm to pole position
3 days ago

Wates raids Laing O’Rourke for new construction operations chief

George Mosey leaves Laing O'Rourke after 16 years
4 days ago

Travis Perkins CEO Pete Redfern steps down due to ill health

Redfern joined builders' merchant last year after 14 years at Taylor Wimpey
4 days ago

Morgan Sindall wins £61m Liverpool lab scheme

Construction to start this Autumn on latest Knowledge Quarter project
3 days ago

Glencar to build timber-framed office block

Work to start next month on 79,200 sq ft scheme in Maidenhead
4 days ago

Shed specialist Marbank files administration notice

£67m turnover portal-framed building specialist files court notice
4 days ago

Birmingham council submits £1bn Druids Heath plan

High rise estate to be replaced by-3,500 home eco village
4 days ago

Cannabis farm gang posed as utilities contractor

Gang jailed for 28 years after diverting power to more than 100 cannabis farms
6 days ago

Firm fined after workers climb scaffold without ladder

HSE investigation prompted by death on Liverpool site
4 days ago

Clancy renews £250m Southern Water deal

Contractor vows to maximise value for money and minimise disruption
4 days ago

Contractor services