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

Aaron Morby 12 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

BESA audit blitz sees 14 specialist contractors suspended

Building engineering services trade body cracks down on standards
12 hours ago

JV North unveils winners of £500m housing blitz

Consortium gears up to deliver 3,000 new homes across North West
13 hours ago

Partnerships builder Keepmoat names new chief executive

Ian Hoad to take reins as Tim Beale steps down after eight years
15 hours ago

Ballymore to transform former Crossrail construction site

Limmo Peninsula will be new neighbourhood in East London
18 hours ago

Building Safety Regulator chief to step down

Search on to find replacement for Philip White
22 hours ago

Amazon unveils £40bn investment plan for UK sites

Four new fulfillment centres confirmed as part of huge spending package
21 hours ago

Glass bridge picked for Queen Elizabeth II memorial

New bridge and gardens will honour late Queen in the heart of London
21 hours ago

Mears set to beat profit forecasts after strong first half

Maintenance growth and 100% contract retention drive bullish outlook for 2025
21 hours ago

Bouygues lands London 150 key worker homes job

Affordable flats planned near London Bridge in landmark council scheme
22 hours ago

Hebden Bridge £68m flood defence job heads to market

Market engagement opens on four-year Environment Agency scheme
22 hours ago

Housing plans go in for abandoned theme park

Story Homes to transform former Camelot Theme Park in Lancashire
22 hours ago

Morris & Spottiswood sees turnover and profits surge

Growth at M&E division helps power record numbers
22 hours ago

Redundancies loom at M&E giant Dalkia

Consultation starts at Southern region
2 days ago

Land deal unlocks East London £750m health hub plan

Queen Mary University secures site to build Whitechapel life sciences complex
2 days ago

Aureos bags £45m Howden Relief Road job

Former Keltbray infrastructure business to start construction next month
2 days ago

Four injured after partially built floor collapses

Court hears how steel beams were cut at the same time Acrow props removed
2 days ago

Careys directors sacked after £4m job-loss showdown

Pair win unfair dismissal case after being accused of "tickling each other’s bollocks"
5 days ago

Octavius wins £31m A38 corridor upgrade

North Somerset picks firm for key trunk road improvement scheme
2 days ago

Danny Sullivan Group hits back over HS2 allegations

Labour supply giant confident it is "fully compliant with all tax obligations"
5 days ago

Bid race takes off for £500m MAG airport small works deal

Nine-lot framework to cover civils, building and M&E jobs up to £5m
5 days ago

Mace director joins Wates as Chief Commercial Officer

Pat Fitzgerald to lead commercial strategy at Wates
5 days ago

Rob Perrins steps up as executive chair in Berkeley shake-up

Long-serving chief steps up to lead housebuilder’s next growth phase
5 days ago

Competition watchdog turns attention to civil engineering

Competition and Markets Authority launches study into road and rail delivery
6 days ago

Timber imports rise for first time in four years

Softwood volumes and prices lead rebound as housing outlook improves
5 days ago

10-Year Infrastructure Strategy published

Full details as Government pledges £725bn of funding over the next decade
6 days ago

Korean firm buys part built Hackney job from failed Elements Europe

Work can now restart on 21-storey hotel and office development
6 days ago

Mark Wild radical reset plan to rescue HS2

Senior manager bonuses scrapped and non-permanent labour cutback
6 days ago

HS2 supply chain fraud claims spark ministerial probe

Transport secretary pledges one-year reset for HS2 to end 'litany of failures'
7 days ago

Lords launch inquiry into Building Safety Regulator delays

Industry asked for evidence of how system is failing: Have your say
6 days ago

Willmott Dixon director becomes co-owner of local contractor BSN

Nick Gibb targets £100m turnover at Dudley based national contractor
7 days ago