I am writing to object to Queen Mary University London plans for development alongside the canal in Mile End. This is a massive overdevelopment which harms both heritage and the ecological system of the canal.
The plans are an assault on heritage. As custodians of our canal heritage assets, QMULs plan to change the proportions of the historic 1820 John Gardner business house and office - a building integral to the bridge and canal - shows no respect to either heritage or the community's history. It erodes the last remaining historic part of that section of Mile End Road lengthening the already overbearing monolith of QMUL's tall buildings that have created a canyon along the road and now seek to create a canyon along the canal.
HERITAGE
The Regent’s Canal Conservation Area report states preserving and enhancing the Borough’s historic built heritage is of vital importance in understanding the past and allowing it to inform our present and future. It seeks to protect: the cherished, familiar local scene - with a scale which is predominantly low and essentially human in character.
The recently agreed New London Plan states in SI17 Protecting London’s waterways: D Development proposals along London’s canal network, docks, other rivers and water space (such as reservoirs, lakes and ponds) should respect their local character and environment and should contribute to their accessibility and active water-related uses. Development Plans should identify opportunities for increasing local distinctiveness.
The QMUL site includes and neighbours a unique grouping of canal heritage assets:
* The 1820 Globe Bridge
* Tall walls on the towpath side.
* John Gardners 1820 house and office which abuts the bridge, where one of the largest barge operators business was based from the earliest time of the Cut.
* The canal edge which evidences the entrance to John Gardners wharf.
* Mile End Lock
* The 1864 Mile End Lock Cottage
* The waterway itself with its open, linear structure that provides a vista both from the towpath, the bridges as well as the park.
QMUL is seeking to build up to expand. It is questionable whether this is sustainable or desirable, especially demolishing housing and rebuilding. The impact on the canal will be disastrous.
The existing buildings were well designed respecting their location e.g. the lock cottage/lock, allowing light to the canal notably with gaps between buildings and the height only marginally overshadowing the canal. Even the plan says they are 'not without merit'. The proposal to knock down these buildings and replace them with an almost solid wall of 8-10 storey buildings within feet of the canal edge is not acceptable.
The QMUL proposals run counter to both the Conservation Area and London Plan. No one will want to use the dark and dingy canalside they laud as public access. This is already a deep cut and little light will get through if these proposals go ahead.
The concentrated heritage interest in this area will be harmfully overshadowed on the waterway. The historic canal landscape will be damaged. The Lock Cottage appears to be safe within the plans, but it will be drowned by the long 8-10 storey block, harming the traditional “sense of space” along the canals in the FI & WPL Conservation Area. The Barge Builders house/office will be unrecognisable as the 1820s heritage asset it was listed as. The design is alien to the canal’s past and present.
CANAL ECOSYSTEM
The deep cut by Globe Bridge drowned in gloom on both sides of the canal will harm wildlife.
The height of the proposed buildings will create a loss of light by overshadowing the canal damaging the canal’s ecosystem. Conversely. at night, they will cast too much light and affect bat populations which travel along the line of the canal after dark.
Please reconsider and redesign the major redevelopment on the canalscape to address heritage and ecological concerns.
Carolyn Clark
shoreditchtales.com
regentscanalheritage.org.uk