CMA Planning
Where: Hackney, E8
Who For: Tandale Properties
What: 5058 sqm commercial
Architect: Stephen Davy Peter Smith
This is a key strategic site within Hackney Central, located immediately adjacent to the Overground Station. Despite this, it has been vacant and derelict for many years, since the Gibbons furniture store closed in 2002. One of the main reasons is that the site falls within an area of surface interest for the Crossrail 2 proposal (ie the Chelsea to Hackney line). As such, development on the site cannot interfere with the potential access to this future station. As such, traditional residential uses were not possible. CMA Planning worked to overcome this issue with a proposal which involved building a seven storey development containing retail floorspace, a 72 room hotel and a 56 suite student accommodation facility, all appropriate town centre uses for this location. The absence of 'permanent' residential accommodation within the scheme met the requirements of Crossrail and as a result, planning permission was secured in March 2012.
