FEC scales up plans for Whitechapel Sainsbury’s

Far East Consortium and Sainsbury’s are preparing to lodge fresh plans for a larger scheme, following various failed attempts, in the redevelopment of the Sainsbury’s at Whitechapel Square, E1. The pair will be seeking consent for 650 to 680 flats in nine buildings of up to 20 storeys, alongside 200,000 sq ft of retail including a new Sainsbury’s on the 4.7-acre site. Initial proposals detailed in an environmental impact assessment request to Tower Hamlets Council would see more than 750,000 sq ft of gross development space.  Plans are expected to be submitted in October, in the largest scheme to date, following a number of iterations over the years.  Sainsbury’s initially planned a 621-flat scheme in 2014, seeking to cash in on rising residential values with the anticipated arrival of Crossrail. Plans were then downsized to 559 in up to 28 storeys, refused by Tower Hamlets in 2017 and withdrawn a year later.  Sainsbury’s tried again with a 471-flat scheme in up to 14 storeys in 2017, further scaling back ambitions in response to the refusal. After Tower Hamlets failed to respond in the statutory timescale, the supermarket chain lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate. However, despite the inspector’s recommendation to grant approval, former housing secretary James Brokenshire refused the plans.  At the start of 2020, Sainsbury’s appointed FEC as development partner with a plan to go back to the drawing board. The agreement marked the developer’s first foray into retail development as part of a larger mixed-use scheme. The new plans from FEC and Sainsbury’s seek to overcome three key issues highlighted by Brokenshire in the final refusal: significance of heritage assets, amenity (including daylight and sunlight) and housing, specifically referring to the location of affordable housing. The largely car-free scheme incorporates a range of homes, from studios to three-bedroom flats. It proposes a number of community facilities on the ground floor, including a new street traversing the site and areas of landscaping and public realm at street level and on the second-floor podium. The partners have proposed phased development, with the current Sainsbury’s to remain open while the new store is built at the south of the site. This phase would include five blocks of housing, including flats on top of the superstore. Once the new Sainsbury’s is operational, the old buildings at the north of the site would be demolished for the final four blocks of flats. The anticipated construction programme is 10 years. The proposals also note that “given ongoing discussions” building heights are evolving and may be subject to change. An FEC spokesman said: “We are working in partnership with J Sainsbury’s, together with the local community, following the due processes involved to bring this project to fruition. We are committed to providing important services and new homes for this vibrant part of Whitechapel and integrating the development with the wider community.”   To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@eg.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @EGPropertyNews Photo credit: Far East Consortium