Agenda item

Erection of a pedestrian bridge with incorporated garden, extending for a length of 366m over the River Thames from land adjacent to The Queen's Walk on the South Bank to land above and in the vicinity of Temple London Underground Station on the North Bank (in the City of Westminster), the structure of the bridge having a maximum height of 14.3m above Mean High Water and a maximum width of 30m; the development also comprising the erection of two new piers in the River Thames; works to the highway in Temple Place, erection of stairs and ramp connecting Temple Place and the roof of Temple London Underground Station; works to trees (including the removal of trees); relocation of the Cabmen's shelter from Temple Place to Surrey Street; demolition and reconstruction works to Temple Station building including the replacement of its roof; associated construction works (including highway works at the Strand) and work sites; and works within the River Thames (including temporary and permanent scour protection, works to moorings and erection of temporary structures).

Additional representations from Caroe Architecture, Councillor Jen Mosley (LBL), Mr G Hindmarsh, Mr Marianne Harris, James Bell, Mrs Fiona Trosh, Alison Powell, Peter Van Der Zaran, Chris Medland, Jonathan Spratt, Rennie Clarke, Philippa Goffe, Sam Thomson, Fiona Curtin, Luke Lowrigs, Nick Wright, Sharon Lin Tay, Jonathan Peterson, Helen Cronin, David Lane, Oliver Kean, Phil Abel, Courtney Amaryllin.

The presenting officer tabled late representations from Gerald Eve (1.12.14), the Waterloo Community Development Group (1.12.14), Garden Bridge Trust, OXO Tower Wharf, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Jan Biggs, the Royal Horticultural Society and Delia Wu.

During the course of the presentation the presenting officer tabled the following amended conditions:

No development shall take place until a planning obligation under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority to secure the following Heads of Terms:

i)          Setting up of a Garden Bridge Trust (GBT) Operations Reference Group to provide a forum to input into the drafting and review thereafter of the Operation and Management Plan. The forum shall have adequate cross-river mechanisms for cross-river issues, including meeting as necessary involving Lambeth and Westminster Councils, SBEG and Northbank BID, and any other stakeholders directly affected by matters under consideration. Such meetings as are necessary to address north bank issues to involve Westminster, Northbank BID, The Middle and Inner Temple, the owners of the development site at Arundel Great Court and any other stakeholders directly affected by matters under consideration.

ii)         The setting up of a Specialist forum to consult on mobility and accessibility issues as the detailed design of the bridge and the Operation and Management Plan progresses.

iii)        Prior to the commencement of development, the submission of a final Operation and Management Plan.

iv)        Prior to the commencement of development, the submission of an Operational and Maintenance Business Plan update report for the written approval of the City Council. The development shall thereafter be carried out and subsequently operated and maintained in accordance with the approved Plans.

v)         Prior to the commencement of development (and unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority) there shall be provided to the Local Planning Authority a surety and/or guarantee and/or other legal instrument (the form and terms of which shall be approved by the Local Planning Authority in advance) to secure the on-going maintenance of the proposed bridge.

vi)        Review of the Operation and Management Plan on the first year of opening and subsequently on the second, third and fifth years and every five years thereafter. The approved Operation and Management Plan will also be reviewed at any time at the request of either the Trust or the local planning authorities. It may not be necessary to review the entire plan on every occasion. The scope of the review will be agreed in advance by the Trust and the LPAs, in consultation with the Operations Reference Group. The review process will include consultation with the Operations Reference Group.

vii)       Prior to the commencement of development an Employment and Skills Plan.

viii)       During the operational phase the Trust will work with WCC to develop a programme that offers local residents, including a proportion from priority groups opportunities in the on- going maintenance of the bridge and garden.

ix)        A contribution (tbc) to enable the map content of all local Legible London signs to be refreshed to show the new bridge.

x)         The submission (for Written Approval by WCC) of details of the intended school outreach programme, including the establishment of a Youth Board prior to construction to provide local young people with an opportunity to input into the construction and operation of the bridge.

xi)        Appointment of a Construction liaison manager who would have a detailed understanding of the construction programme and both north and south banks issues. Joint sub-meetings from the main construction forums would be arranged where necessary.

xii)       Public access to the bridge will be maintained, except outside of the agreed opening hours, at times of routine maintenance or when the bridge is closed for events of which there shall be no more than twelve event days (measured as 12 x 24 hour periods) per year (excluding any enforced closures such as the Thames Festival and New Year's Eve firework display and excluding routine maintenance). Westminster/ Lambeth will be notified no less than 4 weeks in advance of a closure with details of the closure notified to the public in advance. Public access to the bridge shall be free of charge except during events.

xiii)       The bridge will be known as The Garden Bridge, without the endorsement or addition of a sponsor's name.

xv)       A Travel Plan together with a reasonable contribution towards the Council's costs of monitoring the implementation and success of the Plan.

xvi)      Highway works to Temple Place, Arundel Street, Surrey Street, Victoria Embankment and Strand.

xvii)      A Signage and Wayfinding Strategy.

xviii)     The submission of a Code of Construction Practice Part B (to reflect the principles submitted under Part A) and Environmental Inspectorate and Environmental Sciences monitoring contribution.

xix)      S106 Monitoring fee.

The submitted details of proposed arrangements in the case of each of the above benefits shall include details of timing of the provision of the benefits, and details of how this timing is to be guaranteed. The development shall only then be carried out in accordance with the approved arrangements. 

Condition 3 – delete this condition entirely

Revised wording for condition 17

No trees or any other plants on the bridge shall exceed 15 m in height when measures from the soil level of the bridge.

Additional Conditions

·          You must not place any structures on the bridge other than what is shown on the approved drawings.

·          You must maintain public access to the bridge between the hours of 6am to midnight seven days a week except at times of routine maintenance or when the bridge is closed for permitted events.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the substantial benefits of the new bridge, the iconic architecture, new connectivity and additional views created from the bridge, outweigh the harm to views from Waterloo Bridge and the South Bank were in the Committee’s view acceptable.

2.         Subject to 1. Above that conditional permission be granted subject to appropriate measures to secure the long term funding and maintenance of the bridge and subject to the views of the Mayor and the amended conditions set out above as tabled at the meeting. 

3.         That the making of a draft order pursuant to s247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the stopping up of parts of the public highway to enable this development to take place.

4.         That the City Commissioner of Transportation be authorised to take all necessary procedural steps in conjunction with the making of the order and to make the order as proposed if there are no unresolved objections to the draft order.  The applicant will be required to cover all costs of the Council in progressing the stopping up order.