No attribution requiredLondon tells a tall storey
76 tall buildings are projected to complete in London in 2019, more than triple the number completed in 2018.
March 22, 2019Real Estate
London’s skyline continues its exponential rise, with 76 tall buildings (20 storeys or above) projected for completion in 2019. That is three times more than were completed in 2018, according to the London Tall Buildings Survey 2019 published in March by New London Architecture (NLA).
Whether all 76 tall buildings will actually be completed is another matter: last year, only 25 were completed out a projected total of 52. It is apparent, states the report, that “construction programmes have been impacted by increasing costs, uncertainty of regulations and changes to market demands, with an increased proportion of tall buildings staying longer under construction. Developers may also have concerns over market saturation and wider economic uncertainty.” Still, based on the statistics of the preceding two years, the NLA considers it conceivable that more than 60 tall buildings should be completed in 2019.
The number of tall buildings in the pipeline (from pre-planning through to construction) increased to 541 in 2018, up from 510 in 2017, alongside schemes for alternative types of living, such as co-living and build-to-rent. Residential is the primary use for 90% of the buildings in the pipeline. The report observes that “planning policies continue to encourage tall buildings in London, with the pipeline including a number of schemes that have returned via planning re-submissions or amendments with taller buildings proposed than originally submitted.”
Transport proximity and residential trend
Peter Murray, chairman of New London Architecture, points out that there is no London-wide strategy for taller buildings: each borough seems able to determine its policies based on the reactions of its voters and its need for additional housing. London’s patchwork of local policies gives rise to certain, opportunity areas, creating a situation in inner London where there are “clusters of taller buildings of a wide variety of heights set in large areas of lower rise London. This is likely to be the shape of the skyline for the next couple of decades, at least: pockets of taller buildings located in those boroughs that are willing to accept them.”
In outer London boroughs, there has been a notable increase in tall building proposals, typically connected to transport developments and on brownfield sites. “Outer London is likely to continue to grow upwards in clusters around transport infrastructure and opportunity areas,” observes the report. Furthermore, while the effects of Crossrail, and similarly the Bakerloo line extension and HS2, have yet to be fully understood, “it is clear from the pipeline that areas close to new transport infrastructure continue to see tall buildings proposals emerge.”
New London Plan
NLA’s report draws attention to the new London Plan, the Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London prepared by the Mayor of London. The draft plan, which will replace the current London Plan 2016 plan, is intended to shape the way London develops over the next 25 years. NLA’s expectation is that “as the policy approach set out in the draft new London Plan is implemented, encouraging intensification whilst placing greater emphasis on design as justification for tall buildings, further change may be experienced in some areas. We may also see a greater mix of uses in tall buildings even in outer London boroughs.”
The new London Plan is currently undergoing a formal Examination in Public, which began in January 2019 and has hearings booked through until May 2019, after which a Panel of Inspectors will produce a written report.
London real estate will be discussed in further detail as part of a special London Exposé at British & Irish GRI 2019 on 15-16 May in London.
Whether all 76 tall buildings will actually be completed is another matter: last year, only 25 were completed out a projected total of 52. It is apparent, states the report, that “construction programmes have been impacted by increasing costs, uncertainty of regulations and changes to market demands, with an increased proportion of tall buildings staying longer under construction. Developers may also have concerns over market saturation and wider economic uncertainty.” Still, based on the statistics of the preceding two years, the NLA considers it conceivable that more than 60 tall buildings should be completed in 2019.
The number of tall buildings in the pipeline (from pre-planning through to construction) increased to 541 in 2018, up from 510 in 2017, alongside schemes for alternative types of living, such as co-living and build-to-rent. Residential is the primary use for 90% of the buildings in the pipeline. The report observes that “planning policies continue to encourage tall buildings in London, with the pipeline including a number of schemes that have returned via planning re-submissions or amendments with taller buildings proposed than originally submitted.”
Transport proximity and residential trend
Peter Murray, chairman of New London Architecture, points out that there is no London-wide strategy for taller buildings: each borough seems able to determine its policies based on the reactions of its voters and its need for additional housing. London’s patchwork of local policies gives rise to certain, opportunity areas, creating a situation in inner London where there are “clusters of taller buildings of a wide variety of heights set in large areas of lower rise London. This is likely to be the shape of the skyline for the next couple of decades, at least: pockets of taller buildings located in those boroughs that are willing to accept them.”
In outer London boroughs, there has been a notable increase in tall building proposals, typically connected to transport developments and on brownfield sites. “Outer London is likely to continue to grow upwards in clusters around transport infrastructure and opportunity areas,” observes the report. Furthermore, while the effects of Crossrail, and similarly the Bakerloo line extension and HS2, have yet to be fully understood, “it is clear from the pipeline that areas close to new transport infrastructure continue to see tall buildings proposals emerge.”
New London Plan
NLA’s report draws attention to the new London Plan, the Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London prepared by the Mayor of London. The draft plan, which will replace the current London Plan 2016 plan, is intended to shape the way London develops over the next 25 years. NLA’s expectation is that “as the policy approach set out in the draft new London Plan is implemented, encouraging intensification whilst placing greater emphasis on design as justification for tall buildings, further change may be experienced in some areas. We may also see a greater mix of uses in tall buildings even in outer London boroughs.”
The new London Plan is currently undergoing a formal Examination in Public, which began in January 2019 and has hearings booked through until May 2019, after which a Panel of Inspectors will produce a written report.
London real estate will be discussed in further detail as part of a special London Exposé at British & Irish GRI 2019 on 15-16 May in London.
