Mayor Boris Johnson has intervened to speed up a masterplan for South Quays after several proposals for high rise developments have sprouted up for the site in recent months.

South Quay in Tower Hamlets is made up of numerous small plots of land and many of the individual landowners want to construct their own tall buildings.

The Mayor said that he was concerned that without an overall strategy for South Quay, the tall buildings proposed could have a negative impact on London’s skyline and the public realm.

The new masterplan will establish key priorities for the area so that new buildings are delivered in a planned, sustainable and responsible way.

Sir Edward Lister, Deputy Mayor for Planning said: “South Quay is enjoying unprecedented interest from developers all of whom want to bring forward their own plans.

“While we want to see the comprehensive regeneration of the area, what we cannot allow is a situation where planning is granted on a first-come-first-served basis with no overall strategy, as this could eat up valuable space, have a negative impact on the public realm and potentially cause other schemes to collapse.

“This Masterplan will allow us to take a coordinated approach so that this growth is managed in a sensible way with developers coordinating their proposals. It will allow us to maximise the area’s huge potential while ensuring that all development contributes directly to the sustainability of the area.

“The Mayor firmly believes that tall buildings play a valuable role in addressing some of our housing needs but it is essential that the right buildings are built in the right places.”

By working with the council, the Mayor hopes that the Masterplan will be brought forward more speedily so that there is clarity for developers about what schemes are suitable.

The Mayor also intends to develop an Opportunity Area Planning Framework to building on the work of the Masterplan and addressing the wider Isle of Dogs.