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South Quay Plaza

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Status
  
Approved

Location
  
Isle of Dogs, E14

Opening
  
2020 (phase one)

Architectural style
  
Modern architecture

Type
  
Residential

Country
  
United Kingdom

Town or city
  
London

Architecture firm
  
Foster + Partners

South Quay Plaza httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb3

Address
  
183-189 Marsh Wall, South Quay

Similar
  
South Quay DLR station, Isle of Dogs, Balti Tower, Landmark Pinnacle, Dollar Bay

South Quay Plaza is a residential-led scheme under construction in the Isle of Dogs, London, within the borough of Tower Hamlets developed by Berkeley and designed by architect firm Foster + Partners.

Contents

Map of South Quay Plaza, Isle of Dogs, London, UK

The site of the development lies to the immediate north of Marsh Wall and to the immediate south of the financial district Canary Wharf.

The development includes three towers, the tallest of which will reach a height of 214.5 m (721 ft) making it the second tallest residential skyscraper currently proposed for London. There will also be new public and retail space, cafés and restaurants as part of the scheme.

The new development will replace three buildings on the site which were built in the 1980s currently used for offices and retail. Foundation works began following the demolition of the previous buildings on the site.

Design and development

In April 2014, Berkeley obtained the South Quay Plaza buildings and site. They had already developed plans in 2013 for two residential buildings of 73 and 36 storeys. However, the taller of the two buildings was considered too tall for the area. As a result, it was reduced in height to 68 floors and 214.5 m (721 ft). The smaller building remained unchanged at 115.2 m (378 ft) tall.

Planning permission was granted for the development by councillors at Tower Hamlets Council in November 2014. In April 2015, the scheme received approval from the then London Mayor Boris Johnson meaning the development could go ahead.

In 2015, Berkeley announced they are planning to build a third tower next door to South Quay Plaza but will form part of the same development. The skyscraper, known as South Quay Plaza 4, is planned to be slightly smaller than the largest skyscraper at 192 m (630 ft) with 56 storeys and contain 396 apartments as well as 20,000 sq ft of retail space. Despite being recommended for approval by planning officers, it was initially rejected by Tower Hamlets council on 12 May 2016, before being granted planning permission on 28 July 2016.

In total, the development will provide 1,338 residential apartments, 6,000 sq m of new outdoor public space as well as cafés and restaurants.

Current buildings

To make way for the new development, three buildings of two, three and ten storeys used for offices and retail will be demolished. A fifteen storey building on the site is being kept and refurbished.

The proposed scheme will be located in an area which was one of the first to be developed along Marsh Wall of any significance. South Quay 1 was constructed in 1986 and occupied by the Daily Telegraph until the Telegraph's move to Canary Wharf. The building then lay empty for some time. South Quay 1 was followed by South Quay 2 and then South Quay 3. For a time in the early nineties, these buildings dominated the area around Marsh Wall as offices until an IRA bomb in late Autumn 1996 which led eventually to the demolition of the original South Quay 1 and 3. South Quay 2 remained until the Berkley scheme demolished it.

Construction

There will be two phases of development. Phase one is under way and is due to be completed in 2020. It will see the demolition of the current buildings to prepare for the largest and smallest of the three towers. Phase one will also include the construction of the largest skyscraper with the construction of the smallest tower to be part of phase two of development. Construction for phase one is expected to begin in October 2016 with phase two beginning in 2018.

Construction of the second tallest tower on the neighbouring site is planned to be part of phase one or an additional phase three.

In July 2015, construction company Laing O'Rourke won the contract to build the largest and smallest of the three buildings.

Location

183-189 Marsh Wall, South Quay, within the London borough of Tower Hamlets. The development is to the south of Canary Wharf and will overlook the South Dock which lies to the immediate north. The nearest station is South Quay DLR and the closest London Underground station is Canary Wharf.

References

South Quay Plaza Wikipedia