Built in 1869 as a sailmakers’ and chandlers’ warehouse was occupied by Caird & Rayner from 1889 to 1972 and has never been substantially altered – it still retains its loading doors that open onto the Limehouse Cut.
The building has most recently been used as a car mechanic but has been vacant for many years. The Housing Association acquired the site and attempted to gain permission to replace the building with apartments, however English Heritage were able to block the attempt to remove listed building rights to allow its demolition.
The derelict site is now owned by Wild Orchid Properties Ltd who have gained permission to convert and extend the existing building for commercial and residential use.
EAS prepared a Transport Assessment, Travel Plan and Delivery and Servicing Plan to accompany a planning application. The area has excellent public transport accessibility and therefore was suitable for car free development.
Further to a successful planning application, EAS were commissioned to undertake the detailed highway design and make a S278 Application for the proposed improvement works to the existing footway and to provide a delivery/servicing bay. As the works were located along a Red Route, the local highway authority would not be party to the approval process, instead the S278 Application would be made to Transport for London. Further input from TfL’s maintenance contractor, RMS, was also required. RMS have a vested interest on what is approved as they ultimately have the responsibility for maintaining and managing the Red Route.
The existing Sailmakers building benefitted from a number of dropped kerb vehicular accesses along its frontage. The proposals were to convert two of these vehicle crossovers to a delivery/servicing bay and to convert the remaining crossovers to footway. RMS required that new sections of pedestrian guard rail should be provided as well as suitable ‘gaps’ to facilitate refuse collection points. Technical Approval was granted and the client is now entering into the legal S278 Agreement to allow works on the highway to begin.
Client:
Sailmakers
EAS Input:
Transport Assessment, Travel Plan, Delivery & Servicing Plan and S278 Works
Location:
Commercial Road, Tower Hamlets