Mayor of London approves £800m Bishopsgate Goodsyard development despite Hackney’s objection

The Mayor of London has approved the controversial £800million plan for the Bishopsgate Goodsyard development, despite Hackney Council’s recent objection.

Sadiq Khan last week gave the green light to proposals for 500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of office and work space on the edge of Shoreditch.

The 10 acres is one of inner London’s last remaining strategic brownfield sites and has sat largely derelict since the 1960s, and plans for it have been under discussion for a decade.

Hackney Council objected to the scheme, jointly submitted by developers Hammerson and Ballymore, arguing that the “extent of design and heritage concerns were considerable”.

Tower Hamlets councillors said there were not enough homes in the plans and that the number of family-sized affordable flats was too low at 29.

The Victorian Society was also among those against the proposals.

However, the Mayor of London told the GLA planning committee that “every opportunity must be taken” to increase office space and homes, particularly in inner London.

He added: “The benefits of this development outweigh the negative.”

Robin Dobson, Hammerson’s director of UK development, said: “The Mayor’s decision is a huge vote of confidence in central London after a challenging year.

“Our designs make the very most of a highly constrained site and will provide a huge range of benefits. These include one of the largest ever provisions of affordable workspace in London, which will help the local area and London as a whole continue to thrive long into the future.

“We listened carefully to feedback on our original proposal and after extensive consultation with Hackney and Tower Hamlets councils, local people and businesses and the Greater London Authority, our proposal now provides for a balanced, mixed-use scheme that will create a new community in the heart of Shoreditch.”