Policy SD5 — Offices, other strategic functions and residential development in the CAZ

Policy SD5 Offices, other strategic functions and residential development in the CAZ A New residential development should not compromise the strategic functions of the CAZ. B Residential development is not appropriate in defined parts of the City of London and Northern Isle of Dogs (areas to be identified by boroughs in Development Plans). C Offices and other CAZ strategic functions are to be given greater weight relative to new residential development in all other areas of the CAZ except: 1) the Vauxhall, Nine Elms, Battersea and Elephant & Castle Opportunity Areas, where offices and other CAZ strategic functions are given equal weight relative to new residential; and 2) wholly residential streets or predominantly residential neighbourhoods (with exceptions in appropriate circumstances – for example clusters of specialist CAZ strategic functions, Special Policy Areas and CAZ retail clusters). D In Development Plans, boroughs should develop local policies for the areas in parts B and C above and identify the areas in Part C. E The Mayor will work with boroughs and support them to introduce Article 4 Directions to remove office to residential permitted development rights across the whole of the CAZ and the Northern Isle of Dogs (and those parts of Tech City and Kensington & Chelsea lying outside the CAZ). F In areas where offices and other CAZ strategic functions are given greater or equal weight relative to new residential development (as defined in Part C), mixed-use office/residential proposals should be supported where there is an equivalent or net increase in office floorspace. G Residential or mixed-use development proposals should not lead to a net loss of office floorspace in any part of the CAZ unless there is no reasonable and demonstrable prospect of the site being used for offices. To achieve this, alternative provision of equivalent or net additional office space can be made (including through swaps and credits – see Part H below). This should be within the CAZ and near the development. H Local approaches to mixed-use development of offices with housing should sustain strategically-important clusters of commercial activities within the CAZ and consider the potential to use land use swaps, credits and off-site contributions. 2.5.1 The CAZ is an internationally and nationally significant office location , complemented by the Northern Isle of Dogs and Tech City. 2.5.2 Table 6.1 indicates that the CAZ and the Northern Isle of Dogs are projected to accommodate more than 367,000 additional office jobs and a net increase of 3.5 million sqm (GIA) of office floorspace over the period 2016-2041, [18] an average of 140,000 sqm per annum. The provision of a range of office floorspace in terms of size, quality and cost should be supported through a combination of intensification, redevelopment and refurbishment whilst ensuring a suitable supply of secondary stock, which provides relatively affordable lower-cost market provision of business space (see Policy E2 Providing suitable business space and Policy E3 Affordable workspace ). 2.5.3 Given their strategic importance, as a general principle, offices and other CAZ strategic functions are given greater weight relative to new residential development in the Zone (with exceptions set out in policy). The principle of greater weight is designed to ensure that the agglomerations of offices and other CAZ strategic functions are not compromised by new residential development. The principle should inform Local Plan preparation and development management. Residential development is considered inappropriate in defined parts of the City of London and Northern Isle of Dogs reflecting the prominent role of these locations in providing capacity for world city business functions. This policy will ensure that the current and future potential to assemble and deliver office development in these locations is not compromised by residential development. 2.5.4 The Opportunity Areas of Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea and Elephant & Castle have potential to deliver greater levels of housing alongside employment than the other CAZ Opportunity Areas. In these areas, offices and other CAZ strategic functions may be given equal weight relative to new residential development. 2.5.5 Development Plans will play a key role in setting out detailed office policies for the CAZ and the appropriate balance between CAZ strategic functions (including offices) and residential in mixed-use areas and in identifying locations or sites where residential development is appropriate. Evidence required to demonstrate no reasonable prospect of a site being used for offices is set out in paragraph 6.1.7 of this Plan. 2.5.6 The Mayor supports a co-ordinated approach to the introduction of Article 4 Directions by the CAZ boroughs before the exemptions expire in May 2019 to ensure that London’s nationally-significant offices in and around the CAZ are safeguarded. Boroughs are encouraged to draw on both strategic [19] and local evidence to support these Directions. 2.5.7 Land use swaps and credits can be used to support local balances between CAZ strategic functions and housing. A land use swap is where a developer provides an off-site office development to satisfy the requirements of Part H by a specified residential or mixed residential and commercial development. The planning applications for the two sites are considered at the same time by the planning authority and are linked by a Section 106 agreement or planning condition. A land use credit is where new off-site office provision is provided in advance by a developer on the basis that it could be drawn down to satisfy the requirements of Part H by a specified residential or mixed residential and commercial development. 2.5.8 Affordable housing provision should be provided on-site as part of residential and mixed-use schemes in the CAZ (see Policy H4 Delivering affordable housing ). In exceptional circumstances, off-site and cash in lieu coLondon Plan Policy SD5 · official source →