Aberfeldy Estate public hearing
About the Aberfeldy Estate call-in
This page is for details on the Aberfeldy Estate planning application. The Aberfeldy Estate is in Poplar, East London and falls within the Tower Hamlets council boundary.
This planning application was called-in by the Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills on 2 May 2023, meaning that the Mayor of London will now be responsible for deciding upon the application, instead of Tower Hamlets council, who resolved to refuse the application in February 2023.
Representation Hearing – 26 January 2024
A public Representation Hearing is due to be held in the Chamber, City Hall (Kamal Chunchie Way, London E16 1ZE) on 26 January 2024, starting at 10.00am, for the Deputy Mayor Planning, Regeneration & Skills, Jules Pipe, to consider the Application in detail and to determine whether planning permission should be granted.
The Hearing is open to the public, with a capacity of 140, and you are welcome to attend if you wish. We would be grateful if you could let us know in advance if you wish to attend so we can prepare accordingly, by emailing [email protected] For details of how to get to City Hall, see the How to get to City Hall web page.
Please note if you are intending to attend in person, you will be required to enter City Hall through ‘airport style’ security which can lead to a delay. Please arrive in plenty of time to ensure you are able watch or participate by 10.00am. The Chamber will be open from 9.45am and entry to City Hall is possible from 8.30am.
If you have any accessibility requirements or questions about accessing City Hall, please contact us at [email protected].
The hearing report and agenda are available to view and download, from the London Datastore.
Public consultation 16 November 2023 to 16 December 2023
The Applicant submitted revisions to the Application to the Mayor on 8 November 2023.
The 8 November 2023 revisions include the following:
- Introduction of second staircases in all buildings over 18m in height and subsequent change in the quantum of residential and non-residential floorspace (140,591 sq.m. GEA) and mix of units (within the Illustrative Masterplan and maximum parameter scheme).
- Alterations to the proposed energy strategy, design code, and landscaping, including changes to increase the Urban Greening Factor (UGF) score, and biodiversity net gain.
The description of the proposed development has been amended to incorporate an increase in the floorspace (Gross External Area) to accommodate additional staircases as follows:
“Hybrid application seeking detailed planning permission for Phase A and Outline planning permission for future phases, comprising:
Outline planning permission (all matters reserved) for the demolition of all existing structures and redevelopment to include a number of buildings (up to 100m AOD) and up to 140,591 (GEA) of floorspace comprising the following mix of uses: Residential (Class C3); Retail, workspace, food and drink uses (Class E); Car and cycle parking; Formation of new pedestrian route through the conversion and repurposing of the Abbott Road vehicular underpass for pedestrians and cyclists connecting to Jolly's Green; Landscaping including open spaces and public realm; and New means of access, associated infrastructure and highway works.
In Full, for residential (Class C3), retail, food and drink uses and a temporary marketing suite (Class E and Sui Generis), together with access, car and cycle parking, associated landscaping and new public realm, and open space. This application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement.”
Hard copies of the revisions to the Application detailed above can be inspected by members of the public at all reasonable hours between 8.30am and 4.30pm on Mondays to Fridays between 16 November 2023 and 16 December 2023 at Greater London Authority, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, London E16 1ZE. Copies of these documents are also available online at:
Tower Hamlets Council website by using LBTH ref of PA/21/02377
How to comment:
Representations about the revisions to the Application and/or the other information should be submitted in writing by post or online by 16 December 2023:
- Online via the GLA PlanApps website.
- By post: The Planning Team, Greater London Authority, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE
Consultation period:
The consultation period runs until 16 December 2023. The Application will not be decided before this consultation period ends. Comments received after this date, but before a decision is made, may still be taken into account.
We are undertaking this round of notification to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to let the Mayor know their views on the proposal. If you have already submitted comments to the GLA electronically by email or online you do not need to submit another comment to us unless you wish to raise any additional points.
All representations you have previously made on this application and received by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets will also be taken into account.
What is a call-in?
The Mayor has the power to ‘call-in’ an application for their own determination. This means that the Mayor of London will now be responsible for deciding upon the application, instead of Tower Hamlets council, who resolved to refuse the application in February 2023. More information on the Mayoral Planning Process is available on on our Mayoral planning powers page.
Planning application journey so far
Since the application was validated by Tower Hamlets in November 2021, as the Local Planning Authority for this application, they have consulted local people on the application and subsequent amendments that have been made to the scheme. The below table summarises the key dates of the application, with links to further information about each step.
What happens next?
Following the public consultation, the next key step in the process, will be for a Public Hearing to take place. More information on this is available below
Public hearing
The Mayor will hold a Public Hearing (usually at City Hall) before making a decision.
At the hearing, the Mayor will be provided with a detailed update on the proposals from the GLA case officer. The Mayor will then hear views from the Council, in this case, Tower Hamlets, the Applicant for the scheme and any objectors or supporters who register to speak at the Hearing. The Mayor will then retire to make a decision to grant or refuse the application, usually returning within about an hour or so to announce the decision. The Mayor can defer the decision for 5 working days - where the decision will be announced online here on this page.
Anyone who commented on the application, will receive an email/letter from us at least 21 days in advance of the Hearing and will be provided with details on the Hearing along with the opportunity to register to speak at the Hearing should they wish to do so.
We will also publicise the Hearing here online along with site notices at City Hall and near to the site.
Share your views
If you want to comment on the application, you can do so on the link below.
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