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

Aaron Morby 10 months ago
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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

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