Public consultation begun on change of use at The Crystal

A public consultation has been launched on changing the use of The Crystal, E16, to accommodate the Greater London Authority. However, a decision has yet to be made by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, on whether to proceed with the relocation of the GLA to the Royal Docks next summer, a spokesperson for the mayor said. “It makes sense to launch this planning consultation now to ensure any potential move can take place before the end of 2021 – the date at which the ‘break clause’ for the lease at the current building expires,” said the spokesperson. A decision is now expected in the coming weeks. Khan was due to make a decision in September to allow time for a planning application to change the use of the building so it could be used for regional government and civic functions. The GLA must serve its notice on Christmas Eve to the building’s owner, the Kuwaiti-backed St Martins Property Group. The Crystal, which opened in 2012 and was occupied until last year by Siemens, is currently allowed to be used only for exhibitions and conferences. Khan began consulting with the GLA over the proposed relocation during the summer. He believes it could save the GLA £55m after about £8m in relocation costs and help protect frontline services in the wake of the financial and economic impact of the pandemic. However, the London Assembly formally objected to the proposed move in August, having raised concerns in July about relocating from its current home in City Hall by Tower Bridge where it has been since 2001. The concerns included the short consultation period, hard facts about the finances involved, the need for a major planning application to be approved for The Crystal before Christmas, as well as staff capacity, and the profile of City Hall if it moves outside of central London. In his letter notifying Khan of the assembly’s formal objection, London Assembly chair Naveen Shah also said that the assembly urged Khan to start negotiations with St Martins Property Group for a six-month extension to the December break clause. It also requested a fuller analysis be put forward, including other options for The Crystal, such as selling it and a relocation of the assembly to Union Street where the GLA already has space. The GLA bought the building in 2016 for a reported £29m and it is already being used to house the GLA’s Royal Docks team. To send feedback, e-mail louise.dransfield@egi.co.uk or tweet @DransfieldL or @estatesgazette