This is from a planning and property news subscription site I use:
" Hammersmith and Fulham council and the Prince of Wales look set to shortly find themselves in direct opposition to central government over Thames Water’s proposed super sewer after planning officers backed a rival mixed-use scheme on one of the project’s key strategic sites.
Fulham Riverside West Partnerships, the consortium which owns the derelict Whiffen and Hurlingham Wharves at Fulham Riverside as well as the Carnwath Industrial Estate, lodged plans for the three sites earlier this year.
The interlinked schemes comprise 474 homes, plus offices, shops and leisure and public space.
They are in direct opposition to Thames Water and central government’s plans to employ the land as a main drive shaft site for the proposed Thames Tunnel “super sewer”.
In response to the proposals the Secretary of State issued a Safeguarding Direction on 24 April which means that the council cannot grant planning permissions on the sites without specific authorisation from the Department of Communities and Local Government.
The direction does not preclude the planning applications committee from making resolutions on the applications however.
Thames Water is expected to lodge its Super Sewer application in the first quarter of 2013.
The Fulham Riverside West Partnership comprises The Comer Homes Group, which owns Hurlingham and Whiffen Wharf, Nortrust, owner of Carnwath Road Industrial Estate, and Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which owns a portion of land along the river and to the east of Carnwath Road Industrial Estate.
It says it wants to "create a vibrant new riverside community".
The proposals have been split into three applications and two conservation area consents, each relating to the two separate wharves and the industrial estate.
The developments could be implemented either as one comprehensive masterplan or as individual standalone schemes.
The scheme breaks down into: Whiffen Wharf, comprising 70 homes with residential gardens and 94 sq m of offices and 43 basement car parking and 87 cycling spaces; Hurlingham Wharf, comprising 148 homes and open workshop buildings for artists and artisans as well as 98 sq ft of shops, 753 sq m of restaurant/café, 121 sq m of offices and 175 sq m of Canoe Club; Carnwath Road Industrial Estate, comprising 257 homes in a complex graduating in height towards the River Thames up to 12 storeys, 915 sq m of shops, 653 sq m of restaurant/cafes and public and private open space.
The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, which was founded in 2004 by HRH the Prince of Wales as one of his core charities, has confirmed it is interested in occupying what would effectively be an “Artisan Quarter” in Hurlingham Wharf and Carnwath Road Industrial Estate in a 4,000 sq ft workshop for practising artists.
The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment has worked on the pre-application meetings for the Carnwath Road scheme.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institute is in talks to take up to 5,000 sq ft for its operational needs at Hurlingham Wharf.
Thames Water has objected to the three schemes saying the proposed applications are incompatible with the implementation of the Thames Tunnel and in conflict with national, regional and local policy. It writes: “The preclusion of the construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel is a material consideration in the determination of all three applications.”
In response Hammersmith and Fulham argues that its Core Strategy states that it should support measures to clean the Thames, but it has “serious reservations over whether the proposed Thames Tunnel is the most sustainable way of achieving this”.
The council also firmly believes that there are less disruptive locations available which might accommodate the drive shaft.
It has submitted pre-application objections to the Thames Tunnel proposals saying the direct drive from Kirtling Street to Acton is the best option for the drive shaft for West London residents and businesses and that the Carnwath Road planning applications would not affect the delivery of the Thames Tunnel in London.
Ahead of a Tuesday 8 January planning applications committee meeting Hammersmith and Fulham officers have recommended for approval the Fulham Riverside West schemes saying the proposed development is in accordance with the council’s aspirations for the area and the principle of residential redevelopment will make effective use of previously under-utilised land.
The Committee resolve that the Executive Director of Transport and Technical Services be authorised to determine schemes and negotiate and complete a legal agreement under Section 106 and to grant permission subject to referral to the GLA and Secretary of State upon the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement and subject to a series of conditions."
I've more than a sneaking suspicion that the H&F planners are only supporting this rival scheme to try and scupper the super sewer plans. If it wasn't of such strategic importance to TW , then I'm sure they'd be taking a much longer and more critical look at the mixed use proposals.
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